The role of nature and environment in behavioral medicine

Human behaviour has had an immense impact on natural environments. Often this impact has caused environmental degradation and impaired the possibilities for living well across the planet and especially for future generations. This calls for a specific target in reversing the current trend—namely to change human behaviour itself. By changing human behaviour into a more environmental friendly mode, as well as more pro-social, we may increase the chances for continued prosperous lives for ourselves and for our children and grandchildren. This chapter outlines a few theories around how such changes may be encouraged and how exposure to nature may be one factor with certain impact on making people more pro-environmental and pro-social. Indirectly, such changes may improve health, both for humans and for the environment.