Nature! It is all around us and can offer us so many things.
Some examples include: Mindfulness: These days, people are so stressed out. Spending time in nature helps people to let go of the chaos going on in our daily lives and relax. Observing nature is very meditative and promotes a sense of wellbeing. It also generates a curiosity to want to go out and explore more. When people explore more, they may come across interesting wildlife or uncommon vegetation they want to know more about. For instance, the following link provides an opportunity for people to post images for others to comment about and share information; please click here to learn more.
Activity: Nature provides motivation to get out and get moving. It can help people to discover new ways to stay active and healthy. Some examples of outdoor activities to try include snowshoeing, skiing, hiking, and camping.
Inspiration: Nature can open up our minds to new ideas, thoughts and feelings. By being in nature, people can think more clearly and be less distracted by issues in their everyday lives. It also helps people to think more creatively. In fact, some famous people, like Frank Lloyd Wright and George De Mestral, have used nature as inspiration for their artwork or science discoveries.
Awareness: Nature encourages people to be more aware of their surroundings and identify things that might be unsafe or dangerous to their wellbeing. Awareness helps people to notice things that might be negatively impacting their surroundings, and encourages them to take action to help the environment. In Sudbury Massachusetts, Emily Anderson, a member of the Sudbury Land Trust (SVT) became concerned about the amount of dog waste being left on the SVT's Grey Reservation. Over time, dog waste causes problems that impact the environment and can cause health problems in humans. To promote awareness of this problem, she placed a flag at each pile that had a link to a website outlining the risks of dog waste. The goal in her effort is to eliminate the problem by educating those who cause it. If you want more information on the effects of dog waste, please click here.
Safe Place: Most people that think nature is scary get this idea from movies that portray it as a negative and scary thing. Nature can actually be a safe place for those who connect with it and find a sense of meaning by spending time in it. Some have even been known to isolate themselves in nature to find themselves and live a life removed from society. Henry David Thoreau is an example of this.
Looking at these examples mentioned above, nature provides us with plenty of to think about and do. Nature is a personal experience and can be whatever you want it to be. What does nature mean to you ?
What if nature suddenly disappeared?
Nowadays, people seem to care less and less about nature, or even ignore it completely. They may throw trash on the ground or disrupt wildlife, without considering the long term consequences . If nature gives so much, why do people have this level of disrespect towards it? Is it not worth the effort to preserve it? People should understand the impact of certain behaviors, and be committed to fixing the environmental issues caused by these actions.