The Importance of Nature: Why Access to Green Spaces is Essential for Our Health
As the effects of climate change become more visible, many people are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprints. One way is to make sure that we have access to nature and that we can get outside.
This is especially important as it’s getting warmer in many parts of the world because of higher temperatures and changing weather patterns.
Nature has healing powers.
- Nature can help with mental health.
- Nature can help with physical health.
- Nature can help with social and community health.
- Nature can also provide environmental benefits such as protecting wildlife, reducing pollution in the air and water, and helping us to live longer (by reducing risk factors like heart disease).
Access to nature is a public health concern
The health benefits of nature are numerous, and it’s no wonder that the World Health Organization has declared access to green spaces as a public health concern.
- Nature is good for mental health: We know that spending time in natural settings can reduce stress and improve mood, but researchers have also found that exposure to nature may help protect against depression. In one study conducted on college students, those who were more likely to report feeling stressed had lower levels of green space in their neighborhoods than those who reported feeling less stressed, and they weren’t just feeling better because they’d been outside, their brains showed signs of memory improvement too!
- Nature is good for physical health: Spending time walking through wooded areas or hiking up mountains offers many benefits beyond just improving our moods, it helps stave off heart disease and even lower blood pressure by increasing exercise levels (and thus reducing stress). Studies have shown that people who live near protected forest areas tend to live longer than those without access to them; they’re less likely than others living elsewhere nearby not only due to reduced risks related directly
Access to parks and green spaces is a social justice issue.
Access to green spaces is a social justice issue.
Think about the importance of nature and its health benefits your mind, you may not have considered the link between access to green spaces and social justice.
But there is one: when we have access to green spaces, it means that more people can enjoy life outside as well as get active in their communities.
People who do not live near parks or other public lands often feel isolated from their neighbors because they don’t have access, and this has been shown by studies conducted by organizations like The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and others.
These studies show that people who live close enough together tend to spend less time outdoors due to lack of transportation or other factors, therefore we all need to work together towards improving these kinds of issues through advocacy efforts such as those happening around initiatives like TNC’s Urban Conservation Corps program which helps communities build the infrastructure necessary for developing natural areas around them so everyone has access regardless of where they live.
Nature is essential for our health so we need to fight for access to it
Nature is essential for our health so we need to fight for access to it. It’s not just about being outside, though, it’s also about spending time in nature.
If you want a healthier body and mind, who doesn’t? then make sure you get enough exposure to nature regularly.
Nature has a lot of benefits: physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally speaking. Studies show that spending time in natural surroundings can help with everything from stress relief (which helps with anxiety) down to things like sleep quality (which helps with insomnia).
Conclusion
As the world becomes increasingly urbanized, access to nature is becoming more and more important. Public health experts are saying that parks and green spaces are essential for our health because they help us to relax, think clearly, feel good about ourselves, connect with others, and build a stronger sense of community.
We need more of these public resources in every neighborhood around the world.