What Is a Healthy Environment and How Can We Maintain It?

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Have you ever considered how much the environment affects your health? From the air quality you inhale to the cleanliness around you, a healthy environment plays a significant role in supporting people’s activity.

In general, a healthy environment is a place where everyone is protected from exposure to hazardous pathogens and substances. Keep reading to learn how healthy and unhealthy environments can affect our daily lives!

What Is a Healthy Environment?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a healthy environment is a place or condition where humans can enjoy and practice healthy behaviors, such as implementing a clean energy policy that reduces global warming, and avoid dangers that can lower the quality of life and cause health problems.

A healthy environment, according to the WHO, is one in which everyone has access to clean, safe waste management, potable water, safe sanitation, and clean, high-quality air.

In other words, the unhealthy environment includes unsafe elements for human life quality and health, such as air pollution, water contamination, less pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, and many more.

The concept of a healthy environment is closely linked to sustainable and green communities. The WHO reports that a quarter of the global disease burden is caused by environmental risk factors that are actually preventable, such as contamination of water, air, soil, and food.

Moreover, environmental risk factors are closely linked to economic and social determinants of health. A healthy environment also supports communities in making healthier decisions.

In addition, a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health mentioned that a healthy environment is a prerequisite for basic human rights and has been recognized by the United Nations (UN) as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Characteristics of a Healthy Environment

A healthy environment contains various characteristics, such as:

Fresh and Clean Air

As explained before, a healthy environment opens access to non-polluted air. Clean air is certainly fresh to inhale. Usually, polluted air turns black or grey, signifying that the air might already be contaminated by vehicle smoke or other pollutants.

Green Atmosphere

Another characteristic of a healthy environment is the abundance of greenery. Beyond enhancing the landscape, trees and plants help create a refreshing, shaded, and comfortable atmosphere for everyone.

Optimal Waste Management Facilities

A healthy environment must have properly managed trash bins. This enables people to properly dispose of their waste, preventing environmental contamination.

In addition to trash bins, a healthy environment also develops integrated waste management facilities. Trash that piles up in bins or landfills can cause environmental pollution. Therefore, it must be carefully sorted and safely managed to ensure it retains its value.

Easy Access to a Clean Water Source

A healthy environment usually has an accessible, clean water source. When it flows or is drawn from a well, the water is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, reducing the risk of health problems after use.

To protect the clean water source, people should not dispose of trash and other hazardous substances into the water source.

Proper Sanitation

Sanitation is a critical aspect of a healthy environment. The problem is that, according to UNICEF, approximately 250 million people in Indonesia still lack access to safely managed sanitation in 2022, meaning that 90% of the population relies on sanitation facilities that could pollute the environment and negatively impact health.

Good sanitation is not just about the availability of toilets and septic tanks but also well-maintained water systems and safe sewage treatment. To avoid health risks, the development of sanitation systems must be a priority for many stakeholders, including the government.

Awareness in Maintaining Environmental Cleanliness

People who understand the value of environmental cleanliness take actions that create a healthy environment. Participating in community service projects, reducing the use of motor vehicles, and sorting waste are all ways you can help the environment.

If you want to participate in environmental conservation activities, you can join Indonesia Asri. This campaign by the Chandra Asri Group invites you to contribute to environmental cleanliness through simple actions.

You can also share stories about the environmental conservation activities you did by participating in Jejak Asri. Submit your inspiring stories by October 16, 2026, and get the chance to win prizes worth millions of rupiah!

How to Create a Healthy Environment

Now that you already understand the definition and characteristics of a healthy environment, you must also learn how to create it. Here are some activities you can do:

Sorting and managing trash: To prevent piles of trash that can pollute the environment, you must sort and manage it by type. You can also process organic trash by yourself into compost and eco-enzyme.
Working together: A healthy environment cannot be created by a single person. It takes people’s contributions to create a clean and beautiful environment. Therefore, the government needs to work with the community to develop supportive policies. Then, people can help one another to clean up their surroundings.
Growing plants and greenery: To make the environment greener and full of oxygen, you can plant greenery around your house.
Providing proper sanitation: Make sure your home or building has a well-maintained toilet, septic tank, and drainage system. Then, ensure that household wastewater is directed to a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) rather than into rivers or other water sources.

This concludes the discussion on the definition and characteristics of a healthy environment. Ultimately, maintaining a healthy environment is crucial to enhancing the quality of life for individuals and communities alike. Therefore, let’s work together to keep our environment clean and healthy!

For those of you interested in contributing more to making the Earth greener, you can join Warga Asri!

By becoming a Warga Asri, you can expand your network, participate in meaningful actions for a greener Indonesia, gain exclusive access to Indonesia Asri activities, and receive exclusive merchandise using the points you have earned.

So, now is the time to protect the environment. Let’s start with small steps in our daily lives! Join Indonesia Asri now and show your commitment to creating a healthy environment!