Take nature breaks for your mind
April 22 is Earth Day, and this year’s theme is “Invest In Our Planet!”
That might seem like a tall order for the everyday person, but it really isn’t.
Good for the Earth
“There is mounting evidence – that nature has benefits for both physical and psychological human well being,” says Dr. Lisa Nisbet, a psychologist from Ontario who studies connectedness to nature.
“You can boost your mood just by walking in nature, even in urban nature. And the sense of connection you have with the natural world seems to contribute to happiness even when you’re not physically immersed in nature – The key question is, how do we help people feel connected to nature so we’re motivated to protect the places that will help us thrive?”
The answer? Get outside!
A 2022 survey of Canadian urban greenness, which measures the condition and health of our urban environments, found that including everything from parks to back yards, a good 72 per cent of Canada’s urban land area was classified as green.
In light of the study, Sandeep Agrawal, a geographer and urban planner at the University of Alberta, told CBC news that she discovered cities like Edmonton can be up to six degrees warmer than their surrounding countryside.
With Canada’s green and blue spaces declining, and our city’s closely packed buildings, paved surfaces, and electrical output amplifying and trapping heat, leading to the heat island effect that causes heat waves, investing in our planet is as simple as turning off your air conditioner this summer and heading to the forests, rivers and lakes more often!
“We have the power and duty to make our voices heard. What each of us does, and how we do it, has a massive ripple effect on our ecosystems, as well as the pace of corporate and government action. Gen Z provides inspiration, with 45 per cent having stopped buying from brands with poor ethical and sustainability practices,” EarthDay.org says. “Through civic actions and our day-to-day life choices, we have the power to lobby for and support the businesses who actively choose eco-friendly practices and climate-friendly investments. There is no time more vital than the present to take action and INVEST IN OUR PLANET.”
Good for your mind
Spending time outdoors has many amazing mental health benefits.
Cortisol, the stress hormone, as well as muscle tension, blood pressure, and brain activity are all relieved within just minutes of being immersed in nature, while dopamine, the happiness hormones, and endorphin levels increase.
Coping with grief, stress, and an all around general self-perception are all linked to spending time outdoors, as well as empathy! Your ability to be more positive and caring are also linked to increased connection to spending time with the Earth.
How to get involved or the support you need
So, whether you are taking actions virtually or in person - you can join the largest environmental movement on Earth by checking out Earth Day’s Action toolkit for ideas of how to get involved.
And if you are feeling at all overwhelmed about the state of the world, remember that there is so much being done to make the world a better place. Reach out if you would like someone to talk to about anything, including climate change. We are here to help!