International Quality of Life Month

(Google Image) 

By Diane Forrest, RN, Caregiver

There is a saying, I complained because I had no shoes, then I met a man who had no feet.  That tells me that no matter how bad you have it, things could be worse.  At times my husband would become depressed over his situation.  He was hurt on the job, paralyzed, then later bedridden.  That was enough to depress anyone, and it was a constant struggle to give him a positive outlook.  I had to remind him that he had a home, with a roof over his head, friends and family to talk to, and all the television channels that the cable company provided.  Our life was not great, but it wasn't the worst either, it just depends on how you few things.

(Google Image) 

Today is International Quality of Life Month.  There are many factors used to determine your quality of life.  These include:

• Healthiness
• Family life
• Community life
• Material well being
• Political stability and security
• Climate and geography
• Job security
• Political freedom
• Gender equality

This month, take a look at your life, and the things around you and determine how your quality of life is, ways you can make it better, and make a change.  Only you have the power to change your life to live it to the fullest. 

(Google Image) 

(Google Image) 

Nature at Your Service

World Environment Day (WED) celebration began in 1972 and has grown to become the one of the main vehicles through which the UN stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political attention and action. 

Through WED, the UN Environment Programme is able to personalize environmental issues and enable everyone to realize not only their responsibility, but also their power to become agents for change in support of sustainable and equitable development. WED is also a day for people from all walks of life to come together to ensure a cleaner, greener and brighter outlook for themselves and future generations. Everyone counts in this initiative and WED relies on you to make this happen! We call for action – organize a neighborhood clean-up, stop using plastic bags and get your community to do the same, plant a tree or better yet organize a collective tree planting effort, walk to work, start a recycling drive . . . the possibilities are endless.

2011 Theme:

Forests-Nature at Your Service- Forests cover one third of the earth's land mass, performing vital functions and services around the world which make our planet alive with possibilities. In fact, 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods. They play a key role in our battle against climate change, releasing oxygen into the atmosphere while storing carbon dioxide. Thousands of activities were organized worldwide, with beach clean-ups, concerts, exhibits, film festivals, community events and much more.

 
For more information see: http://www.unep.org/wed/