However, there is a poor understanding of how the environment affects human health, due to lack of conclusive study in this field. The relationship between humans and the natural world appears... Land Degradation. The broad concept of … Scientists believe that a pleasant environment can relieve mental stress. At first, humans were incredibly in-tune with their surroundings. Our relationship with nature has historically been one of imbalance and overuse. The environment, by contrast, represents the surroundings that are familiar to the people. Sustainable Development. The relationship between people and their environment is known as topophilia. Human life refers to the bodies and minds of the people, manifested as the karmic effects of causes made in past lifetimes. Human-Environment Relationship Land Use and Cover Change. Humans Environment Sustainable Development Fulbright Lectures ABV IIIT-M Gwalior 30 Jan-12 Mar 2014 Stephen Zavestoski, PhD Associate Professor Sociology and Environmental Studies University of San Francisco San Francisco, California USA smzavestoski@usfca.edu The Human-Environment Relationship: Key Concepts and Models 1. Nearly every step in human history has unfortunately been accompanied with a leap in environmental degradation.