Author(s): Gabriela Marinescu,Cristina Maria Stoica / Language(s): Romanian
Publication Year: 0
Focusing on reciprocity between nature and humans can be the key to invigorating planetary health. The crisis triggered by the COVID-19 virus has shown a disoriented world, forced to suddenly accept uncertainty and risk. At the moment, everyone needs better information from governments, medical staff and social networks. Better information is needed to guide decisions, behaviors and actions and to monitor their impact. News and decisions are often contradictory, alarming and sometimes incoherent. Excessive statistics and information about the evolution of the virus create confusion, panic and some of the most contradictory behaviors. Many stand in line for vaccination, others completely reject the idea. Silent or vehement! The pandemic has brought worldwide solidarity, the awakening of altruism, the revival of pro-humanity feelings, sacrifices to save lives, a different attitude towards nature devastated by human actions. But the pandemic has also highlighted selfishness, discrimination, violence, indifference, xenophobia, racism. Violence and crime are on the rise, people are regressing morally. Health is already precarious and life is in danger. Nature is devastated, pollution is excessive, famines, droughts, fires, wars, attacks, diseases are more and more numerous, and some people do not seem to care. Materiality, consumerism and social networks have conquered. People imitate models and continue to use excess plastic, deforest forests, buy cars, clothes and much more as is the fashion. The global movement triggered by the virus has brought to the fore the truly serious problems of humanity: the health of humans and nature. The role of the cultural context for behaviors for human and planetary health is underlined, first of all, by the O.M.S, which in the agenda for 2030 emphasizes the need to consider cultural values as a key factor for health policies and systems. Cultural behaviors influence many phenomena, but for health, common beliefs, practices and conventional values have a profound impact through: nutrition, behaviors towards quality of life, environment and migration. Improving healthy policies and systems must take into account cultural contexts (WHO, 2020, Culture matters, p.9). The systematic neglect of culture in human and natural health is the biggest obstacle to advancing to a high standard of health worldwide (Napier, 2014). The idea of this paper is to invite everyone to reflect on the actions and behaviors that converge to save the planet and life; step by step, day by day. Without saying: I don't care! These are behaviors for the health of humans and the planet. Each of us can contribute to the real improvement of life on earth. The paper presents the results of a descriptive research, based on studies, research, official reports, which aimed at a brief presentation of the role of cultural behaviors on human health and nature.
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