The first thing we need to do to ensure human wellbeing is minimize biologically and psychologically toxic elements in people’s environments. In each of the roles in your life—parent, spouse, worker, policy maker, friend, neighbor—if you minimize your own and other people’s exposure to toxic events, you will be laying the groundwork for a more peaceful, productive society with much less crime, drug abuse, depression, and conflict. (more…)

The first thing we need to do to ensure human wellbeing is minimize biologically and psychologically toxic elements in people’s environments. In each of the roles in your life—parent, spouse, worker, policy maker, friend, neighbor—if you look for ways to minimize your own and other people’s exposure to toxic events, you will be laying the groundwork for a more peaceful, productive society with much less crime, drug abuse, depression, and conflict.

Start with the prenatal period. The developing fetus is harmed by maternal smoking, alcohol use, and drug use. Patty Brennan at Emory University has shown that maternal smoking can contribute to adolescent delinquency. David Barker has shown that poor maternal nutrition during pregnancy contributes to coronary heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension of offspring when they become adults. Good prenatal interventions like the Nurse Family Partnership can prevent these kinds of problems.
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