As people of Northern Utah, we live in a relationship with the Great Salt Lake — a natural wonder that has shaped our landscape, ecosystems and cultures for millennia. Today, this connection offers us a unique opportunity to reflect on how we can work together to restore and protect the beauty and health of this vital ecosystem. Though challenges abound, there is also the chance to embrace solutions that benefit both the environment and the health and well-being of our communities.
On September 20, 1977, Indigenous voices rang out at the United Nations Conference on Desertification, calling for real-time environmental stewardship grounded in a fundamental shift in worldview. Sotsisowah (John Mohawk), a representative of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, captured this call:
“A strategy for survival must include a liberation theology — call it a philosophy or cosmology if you will… If these processes continue unabated and unchanged at the foundation of the colonizers’ ideology, our species will never be liberated from the undeniable reality that we live on a planet of limited resources, and sooner or later we will exploit our environment beyond its ability to renew itself.”
These words, spoken 47 years ago, continue to resonate today. The call for a global awakening — a reconciliation of our intrinsic connection with the natural world — remains relevant. Yet, in this moment, there is hope: by rethinking our approach now, we can still restore balance to the environment.
Research shows that our environment influences not only physical health but also cognitive and neurological well-being. Pollutants like NO2 and PM10, for example, have been linked to reduced brain volume in areas related to cognitive function, particularly in communities around the Great Salt Lake. Prolonged exposure to such pollutants, especially in industrial areas, has been associated with cognitive decline and diseases like Alzheimer’s, while air pollution also triggers neuroinflammation, contributing to disorders such as autism and ADHD.
Today, the Great Salt Lake faces dangerously low water levels, which threaten both its natural ecosystem and local industries. Still, there remains time to reflect and act. The lake continues to serve as a vital resting stop for millions of migratory birds. By protecting this rich biodiversity now, we are imagining a healthier future for generations to come.
The health of the environment is closely tied to the health of communities. As the lakebed dries up, more toxic dust storms occur, worsening air quality and threatening physical and neurological health. Respiratory and neurological conditions tend to increase in these circumstances, reminding us that protecting natural ecosystems also protects ourselves.
As we contemplate these challenges, it’s worth considering how environmental issues intersect with community health in another way: neurodiversity. Just as the environment thrives on biodiversity, communities thrive when they embrace neurodiversity — the unique cognitive strengths and perspectives that individuals bring. Neurodiverse individuals, including those with autism, ADHD, and other cognitive differences, often offer creative approaches to problem-solving that could help address some of the most pressing environmental issues.
Supporting neurodiverse individuals could begin by fostering environments — both in education and the workplace — that celebrate their strengths rather than viewing them solely as challenges. Creating more flexible and adaptive learning spaces opens opportunities for individuals who process the world differently. Collaborative efforts between educators, employers and communities can ensure that neurodiverse individuals are empowered to lead in areas where their unique strengths shine.
Environmental sustainability, for instance, benefits from innovative thinking. Many neurodiverse individuals excel in pattern recognition, problem-solving, and out-of-the-box approaches. By nurturing these talents, we not only provide opportunities for neurodiverse individuals but also gain new perspectives on how to solve complex environmental problems.
Working together in this way, systems that encourage collaboration between neurotypical and neurodiverse individuals can emerge, fostering environments where diverse perspectives are valued. These efforts could start with inclusive education, mentorship, and workplace practices that create spaces where neurodiverse individuals thrive. In striving to heal our environment, perhaps we are also striving to build a society where everyone’s abilities are recognized as crucial to our collective success.
There is also an opportunity to reflect on the emotional and mental impacts of environmental degradation. As the Great Salt Lake continues to shrink, many are feeling what psychologists describe as “environmental grief” — the mental health toll of witnessing the destruction of our natural surroundings. This grief may be seen as a call to action, an invitation to turn collective distress into healing and forward-thinking solutions.
For millennia, Indigenous peoples have understood the deep connection between the health of the Earth and the health of humanity. Their teachings offer us guidance as we reflect on our choices and consider a path forward where both the environment and society thrive in harmony. Rather than viewing the planet and each other as resources to exploit, perhaps we can begin to explore new ways of living that honor both economic growth and environmental stewardship. As Ford Madox Ford’s poem “Footsloggers” (1915) reflects:
What is love of one’s land?
Ah, we know very well
It is something that sleeps for a year, for a day,
For a month, something that keeps
Very hidden and quiet and still,
And then takes
The quiet heart like a wave,
The quiet brain like a spell,
The quiet will
Like a tornado, and that shakes
The whole being and soul…
Aye, the whole of the soul.
The Great Salt Lake stands at a critical tipping point, and the next generation is poised to shape its future. By supporting youth and giving them the tools and knowledge to lead, the “Class of 2025” could leave behind a legacy of hope and renewal. There is potential for them to co-create unforeseen possibilities with the guidance of Indigenous elders and the backing of a united community.
Children, particularly vulnerable to the effects of environmental damage, offer us a lens through which we can imagine a healthier future. Studies show that reducing fossil fuel use could not only protect the environment but improve neurodevelopmental outcomes in children. Reducing environmental toxins offers a clear way to support the next generation.
Youth-led movements like Fridays for Future, inspired by Greta Thunberg, have already shown that young people are ready to act on climate and environmental issues. The restoration of the Great Salt Lake could become part of their legacy — a contribution to the broader movement to protect our planet’s future.
As we reflect on these challenges and opportunities, one thing becomes clear: this moment invites us all to rise. Students, parents, teachers, and professionals — there is an invitation here to co-create a future full of hope. By joining together, drawing from Indigenous wisdom and supporting our youth, we can nurture a new generation of change-makers. The time is now — for all of us.
