Green Healthcare - Collective Wellbeing for People and Planet

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Public Health
• Indigenous Studies

Background:

• Accelerating climate change necessitates holistic approaches to species survival.
• Indigenous spiritual well-being systems are gaining traction within anti-colonial movements.
• Green collective well-being systems (GreenCoWell) offer integrated healing for individuals and the environment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate six interconnected health practices from BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities.
• To support knowledge systems from the Global South and Indigenous communities through a feminist, anti-racist, and decolonial lens.
• To explore the proliferation of GreenCoWell systems for ecological and human health.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a participatory action research approach.
• Employing a blend of qualitative and arts-based research methods.
• Conducting separate interviews with healers, followed by a collective dialogue on GreenCoWell proliferation.

Main Results:

• A film, poems, stories, academic outputs, social media content, and a manifesto.
• Documentation of six global GreenCoWell systems.
• Insights from healers on the desire, need, and methods for expanding GreenCoWell.

Conclusions:

• This arts-based, mixed-methods project integrates healers from six traditions for a novel climate change response.
• GreenCoWell practitioners actively engage in environmental conservation.
• The long-term goal is to enhance mental, physical, and spiritual well-being and promote climate justice through GreenCoWell.