Health and Wellness are Sustainability, Too
When most people hear “sustainability,” they think of protecting our planet by recycling, planting trees, and cleaning up trash. Or maybe they think of reducing their consumption of a certain item to reduce waste. Sustainability means more than protecting our planet, and it does not always mean making sacrifices to be “sustainable”. Sustainability means protecting and stewarding all our resources and basic needs, including our mental, physical, and emotional wellness, and our financial resources. These needs are deeply intertwined, meaning that supporting our planet’s health also supports our physical health by making the earth a cleaner place to live.
This academic year, the Office of Sustainability is highlighting the health and wellness facets of sustainability in our programming, events, and initiatives. In collaboration with campus partners, such as the Health and Wellbeing unit of Student Affairs and Niner Finances, we are working to expand the reach of sustainability into these programs to create a well-rounded, healthy, and engaged campus community.
Sustainability and the Eight Dimensions of Wellness
Wellness is multi-dimensional, and during the 2026-2027 academic year, the UNC Charlotte Health and Wellbeing unit is highlighting the eight dimensions of wellness: Emotional, Environmental, Financial, Intellectual, Occupational, Physical, Social, and Spiritual Wellness. To align with this, the Office of Sustainability has been supporting efforts to encourage and educate the campus community to engage in wellness activities that support campus sustainability goals.
One example of social sustainability is installing feminine hygiene product dispensers in the Student Affairs buildings, providing access to these items to the campus community regardless of socioeconomic status. Additionally, raising awareness of the proper disposal of these items in the trash bin, rather than flushing down the toilet or placing them in a paper towel compost bin, is crucial to prevent contamination of downstream sources.
Sustainability and Financial Wellness
Stewarding financial resources is one primary way that you can practice sustainability in your life. Niner Finances provides the tools, knowledge, and resources for the UNC Charlotte community to increase their financial wellness, using financial literacy and wellness education as an equalizer to promote opportunities for UNC Charlotte community members.
Resiliency is an important aspect of financial wellness, helping people stay financially strong and stable amid global, local, and personal changes and challenges. Investing in a “rainy day fund” is one way to build resilience, and Niner Finances offers this program to UNC Charlotte students. Resilience can also look like purchasing durable goods and finding ways to support products and services that are responsibly made and will last.
To encourage these practices, Niner Finances and the Office of Sustainability will be hosting Reuse Rodeos in October. On October 20th and 21st, the campus community can bring old clothes to trade for new-to-you clothing items, and on October 27th and 28th, bring old books to trade for some new-to-you reading material! Learn more about these events here.
Integrating wellness into life at UNC Charlotte
UNC Charlotte prioritizes sustainable practices across operations and programming that have wellness benefits. The campus offers multiple alternative forms of active transportation, such as bikes, scooters, and greenways for pedestrians. Our janitorial staff uses green cleaning products without harsh, toxic chemicals to protect the health of building occupants and janitorial staff. Construction projects and buildings across campus prioritize natural light and views of green space, which has been proven to increase building occupants’ moods, health, and productivity. The campus dining halls offer plant-forward meal options, which are often healthier choices and help reduce the environmental impact of animal-based foods.
If you would like to take some time this fall to prioritize wellness, there are many events on campus and in the Charlotte region to get involved and get outside! The Office of Sustainability will be hosting a run on Toby Creek Greenway on Thursday, October 1st at 5:30pm, a scavenger hunt in the Botanical Gardens on Thursday, October 8th at 11:30am, and many more events throughout October!
In the Charlotte community, there are many community gardens across Mecklenburg County that you can volunteer to help maintain and care for. Find a garden close to you here. For more volunteer opportunities in the Charlotte region, check out the Community Opportunities page on the Office of Sustainability website for a running list of local events.
