This document summarizes research on the impact of visual contact with nature on health and well-being. It reviews 50 empirical studies that examine whether lack of natural elements in indoor and urban environments acts as a "discord" that negatively impacts people. The studies show that simply viewing nature, such as through windows or pictures, can provide psychological benefits like stress reduction. Indoor plants are also shown to improve mood, attractiveness of spaces, and pain tolerance in some studies. While results are varied, no studies found indoor plants to have significant negative effects.
1. Observing nature and participating in physical activity in greenspaces plays an important role in positively influencing human health and well-being. 'Green exercise' is associated with positive health outcomes which exceed exercising without nature.
2. Ecosystems provide three generic health benefits: direct positive effects on mental and physical health, indirect positive effects by facilitating nature-based activities and social engagement, and reducing threats from pollution and disease vectors.
3. While all UK habitats contribute to health benefits, the habitat that has received the most study is Urban greenspace due to the contrast it provides to the built environment.
Beyond Blue to Green: The Benefits of Contact with Nature for Mental Health and Well-Being
`
For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214 ~
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079 ~
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348 ~
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440 ~
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110 ~
Reactions to socio environmental stressOmero Mwale
This document discusses stress, its causes, physiological effects, and management strategies. It defines stress as an individual's reaction to any change requiring adjustment, and a stressor as a factor causing tension. The general adaptation syndrome describes the body's three responses to stress: alarm reaction, resistance, and exhaustion. Prolonged stress without intervention can lead to death. Adaptive coping strategies like relaxation, meditation, social support, and problem-solving can help manage stress and prevent disease. The document also discusses stress from an environmental and transactional perspective, noting the role of cognitive appraisal in determining what is perceived as stressful.
This document discusses various types of environmental stress and pollution. It begins by defining environmental stress as an undesirable transaction between a person and their environment. It then discusses five main types of pollution and environmental stress:
1) Air pollution from industries, vehicles and other sources which can cause respiratory and cardiovascular issues.
2) Water pollution from domestic, industrial and agricultural waste which spreads diseases.
3) Noise pollution which disrupts communication, health and performance.
4) Crowding which is linked to increased crime, stress and aggression depending on the context and individuals.
5) Greenhouse effect and global warming due to human activities which is raising global temperatures and sea levels with severe consequences.
Healthy Parks, Healthy People: The Health Benefits of Contact with NatureangeliaGeo
This document summarizes the health benefits of contact with nature in parks. It discusses how parks were originally designed to provide health benefits but are now mainly seen as venues for leisure and sport. However, recent research demonstrates that experiencing nature in parks can provide significant health and well-being benefits, such as reduced stress and boosted immunity. Parks play an essential role in public health by providing access to nature and protecting ecosystems, especially in urban environments where they may be the only source of natural experiences for many people.
This document provides an overview of a presentation on biophilic cities and integrating nature into urban design. It discusses the theoretical basis for combining biophilic and urban design concepts. Some key points include:
- Biophilia refers to humans' innate attraction to nature and living processes. Biophilic design aims to incorporate natural elements and inspire connections to nature in the built environment.
- Several principles of biophilic design are discussed, including providing access to nature in cities through urban forests and gardens.
- The presentation examines how place attachment and sense of place can be strengthened by connecting culture, history and ecology in urban design.
- Biophilic urban design approaches are applied at different scales from individual
Design, Landscape, and Health - Gardening Therapy
`
For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214 ~
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079 ~
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348 ~
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440 ~
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110 ~
Parks and Other Green Environments: Essential Components of a Healthy Human Habitat
`
For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159`
`
Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110
1. Observing nature and participating in physical activity in greenspaces plays an important role in positively influencing human health and well-being. 'Green exercise' is associated with positive health outcomes which exceed exercising without nature.
2. Ecosystems provide three generic health benefits: direct positive effects on mental and physical health, indirect positive effects by facilitating nature-based activities and social engagement, and reducing threats from pollution and disease vectors.
3. While all UK habitats contribute to health benefits, the habitat that has received the most study is Urban greenspace due to the contrast it provides to the built environment.
Beyond Blue to Green: The Benefits of Contact with Nature for Mental Health and Well-Being
`
For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214 ~
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079 ~
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348 ~
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440 ~
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110 ~
Reactions to socio environmental stressOmero Mwale
This document discusses stress, its causes, physiological effects, and management strategies. It defines stress as an individual's reaction to any change requiring adjustment, and a stressor as a factor causing tension. The general adaptation syndrome describes the body's three responses to stress: alarm reaction, resistance, and exhaustion. Prolonged stress without intervention can lead to death. Adaptive coping strategies like relaxation, meditation, social support, and problem-solving can help manage stress and prevent disease. The document also discusses stress from an environmental and transactional perspective, noting the role of cognitive appraisal in determining what is perceived as stressful.
This document discusses various types of environmental stress and pollution. It begins by defining environmental stress as an undesirable transaction between a person and their environment. It then discusses five main types of pollution and environmental stress:
1) Air pollution from industries, vehicles and other sources which can cause respiratory and cardiovascular issues.
2) Water pollution from domestic, industrial and agricultural waste which spreads diseases.
3) Noise pollution which disrupts communication, health and performance.
4) Crowding which is linked to increased crime, stress and aggression depending on the context and individuals.
5) Greenhouse effect and global warming due to human activities which is raising global temperatures and sea levels with severe consequences.
Healthy Parks, Healthy People: The Health Benefits of Contact with NatureangeliaGeo
This document summarizes the health benefits of contact with nature in parks. It discusses how parks were originally designed to provide health benefits but are now mainly seen as venues for leisure and sport. However, recent research demonstrates that experiencing nature in parks can provide significant health and well-being benefits, such as reduced stress and boosted immunity. Parks play an essential role in public health by providing access to nature and protecting ecosystems, especially in urban environments where they may be the only source of natural experiences for many people.
This document provides an overview of a presentation on biophilic cities and integrating nature into urban design. It discusses the theoretical basis for combining biophilic and urban design concepts. Some key points include:
- Biophilia refers to humans' innate attraction to nature and living processes. Biophilic design aims to incorporate natural elements and inspire connections to nature in the built environment.
- Several principles of biophilic design are discussed, including providing access to nature in cities through urban forests and gardens.
- The presentation examines how place attachment and sense of place can be strengthened by connecting culture, history and ecology in urban design.
- Biophilic urban design approaches are applied at different scales from individual
Design, Landscape, and Health - Gardening Therapy
`
For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214 ~
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079 ~
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348 ~
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440 ~
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110 ~
Parks and Other Green Environments: Essential Components of a Healthy Human Habitat
`
For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159`
`
Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110
The document discusses the human benefits of green spaces. It summarizes research finding that interaction with nature provides mental, physical, and social benefits such as reduced stress, improved concentration and healing. Specifically, it finds exposure to nature lowers violence and crime while improving workplace productivity and driving safety. However, most people are unaware of these benefits due to "plant blindness" where plants are seen as background rather than contributors to well-being. Minor investments in parks can have large returns by reducing healthcare and social costs.
Human ecology home work_society.18.3.2011Mauri Ahlberg
Professor Mauri Ahlberg gave a keynote lecture on human ecology, sustainable living, and the importance of nature. He discussed how home refers to relationships more than physical structures, and emphasized learning through inquiry and dialogue. Ahlberg believes cultivating gratitude, focusing on nature, and sharing knowledge openly can promote well-being and bring people together.
This document provides a history of eco psychology and ecotherapy. It discusses how eco psychology was first defined by Theodore Roszak in the 1970s and further developed in later books. Ecotherapy aims to heal through reconnecting people with nature. It uses activities like nature walks, gardening, and time with animals. Research shows spending time in nature can lower stress and improve mood. The core idea of eco therapy is that human mental health is interconnected with the health of the natural environment.
Health effects of viewing landscapes – Landscape types in environmental psych...ElisaMendelsohn
The document summarizes research on the relationship between viewing landscapes and human health effects. It finds that most studies classify landscapes broadly as "natural" or "urban" and find natural landscapes generally have more positive health effects than urban ones. The main health effects identified are short-term stress recovery, faster physical recovery from illness, and long-term overall improvement in health and well-being. Key theories discussed include Attention Restoration Theory, which posits that natural environments restore mental fatigue, and the concept of "therapeutic landscapes," or places reputed for achieving physical, mental and spiritual healing.
This document discusses environmental health and the role of community nurses. It defines environmental health as assessing how people impact the environment and vice versa. Nurses take preventive, ecological, long-term, and global perspectives in their assessments. They examine illnesses, living conditions, and sustainability. Nurses also educate on topics like air and water quality, toxic exposure, injury prevention, and more to promote public health. Their goal is to maintain a balanced, healthy relationship between people and their environments.
This document summarizes a study that used an experience sampling method to collect over 1 million responses from more than 20,000 participants via a smartphone app. The app randomly signaled participants and recorded their self-reported happiness levels along with their GPS location. The researchers then analyzed the relationship between participants' momentary subjective wellbeing and the land cover type at their location. They found that on average, participants reported significantly higher happiness levels when they were outdoors in green or natural habitats compared to urban environments, after controlling for various other factors. This provides new evidence that exposure to nature is positively associated with subjective wellbeing.
Researched and wrote this white paper targeted to the healthcare vertical segment to educate facilities managers, administrators, and sourcing/purchasing about the benefits of therapeutic landscapes. This thought leadership piece was used extensively by the enterprise sales team and GPO partners.
The document discusses several determinants of health including income and social status, education, physical environment, social support networks, genetics, personal behaviors, health services, and gender. It defines determinants of health as the range of factors that influence individual and population health status. The physical environment is discussed in detail, outlining factors like air, light, ventilation, water, and their importance for health. Causes and methods of pollution for various physical environment components are also explained.
Ecotherapy involves spending time in nature to promote mental and physical well-being. It was coined in 1996 to describe how exposure to the natural world can restore health. Historical precedents include Japanese zen gardens and European mineral baths. Benefits include reduced stress, anxiety, and depression as well as improved mood and concentration. Studies show nature exposure lowers cortisol levels and prefrontal cortex activity. Ecotherapy practices include forest bathing, wilderness experiences, and nature-based psychotherapy. Spending as little as 5 minutes in nature each day can have positive impacts on health.
Environments that Promote Mental Health and WellbeingangeliaGeo
Environments that promote mental health and wellbeing. Three key points:
1) Mental health is influenced by multiple social, environmental, and biological factors. Contact with nature through green spaces and gardens is beneficial for mental health and wellbeing.
2) A pilot study in Australia called "Feel Blue, Touch Green" found nature-based activities improved participants' mental health, confidence, stress and anxiety levels, and social connections.
3) Exposure to nature is restorative and therapeutic, lowering stress and improving mood. Access to green spaces and nature is important for promoting population mental health.
Ecotherapy involves using nature and the outdoors to improve mental health. It provides therapeutic benefits such as lifting mood, reducing stress, and improving motivation. Mind recommends ecotherapy as a clinically valid treatment for mental distress and encourages GPs to consider referrals for green exercise. Nature-based activities can help form social connections and support networks while also providing a sense of purpose, achievement, and wellbeing.
Healthy Planet, Healthy People: Shaping a Sustainable Healthy FutureangeliaGeo
This document is the summer 2006 issue of the VicHealth Letter, which discusses topics related to shaping a sustainable and healthy future. It contains articles about connecting with nature and its benefits for health and wellbeing. Cities around the world are focusing on health, wellbeing and ecological sustainability. The value of partnerships to achieve mutual environmental and health benefits is also discussed. The issue aims to reinforce the links between environments and human health.
Ecology is the study of organisms and their interactions with each other and their environments. It examines these relationships at various levels from individual organisms to the entire biosphere. Understanding ecology is important for environmental conservation, proper resource allocation, energy conservation, promoting eco-friendly practices, and aiding disease and pest control. Examples of specific areas of ecology include human ecology, which examines human relationships with the environment, and niche construction ecology, which studies how organisms alter their environments.
Eco-anxiety is a growing psychological condition where people experience distress, depression and anxiety over environmental issues and the damage being caused to the planet. For some, worrying about issues like climate change, pollution and species extinction can become all-consuming and impact their mental health. Experts note a rise in people seeking help for eco-anxiety in countries around the world. The emerging treatment approach is called ecotherapy, which aims to help people reconnect with nature and find ways to take positive actions to help the environment in order to alleviate feelings of guilt or helplessness.
Environmental ethics examines the moral relationship between humans and the environment. It considers the value of the environment and non-human life. There are different approaches such as anthropocentric ethics, which views environment as valuable only for what it provides humans, and biocentric ethics, which gives intrinsic value to all life. Other approaches include ecocentric ethics, which values all living and non-living things, and land ethics, stewardship ethics, deep ecology, and ecofeminism.
This document provides an overview of an ecological anthropology course taught at the University of Minnesota. The course will use an eclectic systems approach to examine human-environment interactions and environmental issues. It will apply Gregory Bateson's concept of living systems and culture as an embedded, communicative system. Students will analyze case studies and literary works. Assessment includes participation, quizzes, exams, a group project and final paper.
The document discusses the mental health benefits of urban greenspace based on existing literature and evidence. It examines the commonly cited beliefs that contact with nature in cities can reduce stress and improve well-being. The scientific evidence for these claims comes from a few types of studies: controlled experiments showing benefits of natural views/settings, studies using nature photos/videos to test reactions, surveys of people's experiences and preferences in nature, and analyses of health data related to locations. While some evidence supports the beliefs, the magnitude of nature's effects depends also on lack of stressors in built environments. Overall access to restorative natural areas in cities may produce short and long-term mental and physical health benefits.
The Influence of Gardening Activities on Consumer Perceptions of Life Satisfa...BenBeckers
This study investigated the influence of gardening on perceptions of life satisfaction. The researchers surveyed over 400 gardeners and non-gardeners using the Life Satisfaction Inventory A (LSIA), which measures five components of quality of life. Results showed that gardeners had statistically significant higher overall life satisfaction scores than non-gardeners. When individual statements were analyzed, gardeners responded more positively on statements relating to energy levels, optimism, zest for life, and physical self-concept. Gardeners also rated their overall health and physical activity levels higher than non-gardeners.
The document discusses the importance of nature connection for human health and well-being. It notes that urbanization and technology use have reduced opportunities for meaningful engagement with nature. Nature connection is defined as a subjective, multi-dimensional sensation of belonging within the natural world. Research presented suggests that spending time in and connecting with nature is associated with benefits like lower stress, better physical health, increased well-being and pro-environmental behavior. The document proposes specific pathways like contact, emotion, meaning and compassion that can strengthen an individual's nature connection. It advocates communicating nature's benefits by framing activities around these pathways and focusing on shared humanity with the natural world.
This document discusses the Environmental Deterministic Approach to understanding the relationship between humans and their environment. The key points of the Environmental Deterministic Approach are: 1) It is based on the premise that "the earth made man" and that the environment is the creator of human beings. 2) All humans are dependent on nature and the environment. 3) From a deterministic perspective, man is subordinate to nature and the environment dominates man. 4) This approach was first proposed by E.C. Semple in 1910 and was further discussed by Grossman in 1977 based on Darwin's concepts of natural selection and adaptation to environmental factors.
El documento describe el diseño biofílico, el cual busca incorporar elementos naturales en espacios humanos para generar una reacción positiva hacia la naturaleza. Los diseños biofílicos integran luz natural, acceso a espacios exteriores y ventilación natural para estimular las habilidades humanas y ahorrar energía. Además, estas teorías encajan con tendencias sustentables dado que los recursos naturales se agotan rápidamente.
The biophilia hypothesis suggests that there is an instinctive bond between human beings and other living systems.
Edward O. Wilson introduced and popularized the hypothesis in his book, Biophilia (1984). He defines biophilia as "the connections that human beings subconsciously seek with the rest of life.”
The document discusses the human benefits of green spaces. It summarizes research finding that interaction with nature provides mental, physical, and social benefits such as reduced stress, improved concentration and healing. Specifically, it finds exposure to nature lowers violence and crime while improving workplace productivity and driving safety. However, most people are unaware of these benefits due to "plant blindness" where plants are seen as background rather than contributors to well-being. Minor investments in parks can have large returns by reducing healthcare and social costs.
Human ecology home work_society.18.3.2011Mauri Ahlberg
Professor Mauri Ahlberg gave a keynote lecture on human ecology, sustainable living, and the importance of nature. He discussed how home refers to relationships more than physical structures, and emphasized learning through inquiry and dialogue. Ahlberg believes cultivating gratitude, focusing on nature, and sharing knowledge openly can promote well-being and bring people together.
This document provides a history of eco psychology and ecotherapy. It discusses how eco psychology was first defined by Theodore Roszak in the 1970s and further developed in later books. Ecotherapy aims to heal through reconnecting people with nature. It uses activities like nature walks, gardening, and time with animals. Research shows spending time in nature can lower stress and improve mood. The core idea of eco therapy is that human mental health is interconnected with the health of the natural environment.
Health effects of viewing landscapes – Landscape types in environmental psych...ElisaMendelsohn
The document summarizes research on the relationship between viewing landscapes and human health effects. It finds that most studies classify landscapes broadly as "natural" or "urban" and find natural landscapes generally have more positive health effects than urban ones. The main health effects identified are short-term stress recovery, faster physical recovery from illness, and long-term overall improvement in health and well-being. Key theories discussed include Attention Restoration Theory, which posits that natural environments restore mental fatigue, and the concept of "therapeutic landscapes," or places reputed for achieving physical, mental and spiritual healing.
This document discusses environmental health and the role of community nurses. It defines environmental health as assessing how people impact the environment and vice versa. Nurses take preventive, ecological, long-term, and global perspectives in their assessments. They examine illnesses, living conditions, and sustainability. Nurses also educate on topics like air and water quality, toxic exposure, injury prevention, and more to promote public health. Their goal is to maintain a balanced, healthy relationship between people and their environments.
This document summarizes a study that used an experience sampling method to collect over 1 million responses from more than 20,000 participants via a smartphone app. The app randomly signaled participants and recorded their self-reported happiness levels along with their GPS location. The researchers then analyzed the relationship between participants' momentary subjective wellbeing and the land cover type at their location. They found that on average, participants reported significantly higher happiness levels when they were outdoors in green or natural habitats compared to urban environments, after controlling for various other factors. This provides new evidence that exposure to nature is positively associated with subjective wellbeing.
Researched and wrote this white paper targeted to the healthcare vertical segment to educate facilities managers, administrators, and sourcing/purchasing about the benefits of therapeutic landscapes. This thought leadership piece was used extensively by the enterprise sales team and GPO partners.
The document discusses several determinants of health including income and social status, education, physical environment, social support networks, genetics, personal behaviors, health services, and gender. It defines determinants of health as the range of factors that influence individual and population health status. The physical environment is discussed in detail, outlining factors like air, light, ventilation, water, and their importance for health. Causes and methods of pollution for various physical environment components are also explained.
Ecotherapy involves spending time in nature to promote mental and physical well-being. It was coined in 1996 to describe how exposure to the natural world can restore health. Historical precedents include Japanese zen gardens and European mineral baths. Benefits include reduced stress, anxiety, and depression as well as improved mood and concentration. Studies show nature exposure lowers cortisol levels and prefrontal cortex activity. Ecotherapy practices include forest bathing, wilderness experiences, and nature-based psychotherapy. Spending as little as 5 minutes in nature each day can have positive impacts on health.
Environments that Promote Mental Health and WellbeingangeliaGeo
Environments that promote mental health and wellbeing. Three key points:
1) Mental health is influenced by multiple social, environmental, and biological factors. Contact with nature through green spaces and gardens is beneficial for mental health and wellbeing.
2) A pilot study in Australia called "Feel Blue, Touch Green" found nature-based activities improved participants' mental health, confidence, stress and anxiety levels, and social connections.
3) Exposure to nature is restorative and therapeutic, lowering stress and improving mood. Access to green spaces and nature is important for promoting population mental health.
Ecotherapy involves using nature and the outdoors to improve mental health. It provides therapeutic benefits such as lifting mood, reducing stress, and improving motivation. Mind recommends ecotherapy as a clinically valid treatment for mental distress and encourages GPs to consider referrals for green exercise. Nature-based activities can help form social connections and support networks while also providing a sense of purpose, achievement, and wellbeing.
Healthy Planet, Healthy People: Shaping a Sustainable Healthy FutureangeliaGeo
This document is the summer 2006 issue of the VicHealth Letter, which discusses topics related to shaping a sustainable and healthy future. It contains articles about connecting with nature and its benefits for health and wellbeing. Cities around the world are focusing on health, wellbeing and ecological sustainability. The value of partnerships to achieve mutual environmental and health benefits is also discussed. The issue aims to reinforce the links between environments and human health.
Ecology is the study of organisms and their interactions with each other and their environments. It examines these relationships at various levels from individual organisms to the entire biosphere. Understanding ecology is important for environmental conservation, proper resource allocation, energy conservation, promoting eco-friendly practices, and aiding disease and pest control. Examples of specific areas of ecology include human ecology, which examines human relationships with the environment, and niche construction ecology, which studies how organisms alter their environments.
Eco-anxiety is a growing psychological condition where people experience distress, depression and anxiety over environmental issues and the damage being caused to the planet. For some, worrying about issues like climate change, pollution and species extinction can become all-consuming and impact their mental health. Experts note a rise in people seeking help for eco-anxiety in countries around the world. The emerging treatment approach is called ecotherapy, which aims to help people reconnect with nature and find ways to take positive actions to help the environment in order to alleviate feelings of guilt or helplessness.
Environmental ethics examines the moral relationship between humans and the environment. It considers the value of the environment and non-human life. There are different approaches such as anthropocentric ethics, which views environment as valuable only for what it provides humans, and biocentric ethics, which gives intrinsic value to all life. Other approaches include ecocentric ethics, which values all living and non-living things, and land ethics, stewardship ethics, deep ecology, and ecofeminism.
This document provides an overview of an ecological anthropology course taught at the University of Minnesota. The course will use an eclectic systems approach to examine human-environment interactions and environmental issues. It will apply Gregory Bateson's concept of living systems and culture as an embedded, communicative system. Students will analyze case studies and literary works. Assessment includes participation, quizzes, exams, a group project and final paper.
The document discusses the mental health benefits of urban greenspace based on existing literature and evidence. It examines the commonly cited beliefs that contact with nature in cities can reduce stress and improve well-being. The scientific evidence for these claims comes from a few types of studies: controlled experiments showing benefits of natural views/settings, studies using nature photos/videos to test reactions, surveys of people's experiences and preferences in nature, and analyses of health data related to locations. While some evidence supports the beliefs, the magnitude of nature's effects depends also on lack of stressors in built environments. Overall access to restorative natural areas in cities may produce short and long-term mental and physical health benefits.
The Influence of Gardening Activities on Consumer Perceptions of Life Satisfa...BenBeckers
This study investigated the influence of gardening on perceptions of life satisfaction. The researchers surveyed over 400 gardeners and non-gardeners using the Life Satisfaction Inventory A (LSIA), which measures five components of quality of life. Results showed that gardeners had statistically significant higher overall life satisfaction scores than non-gardeners. When individual statements were analyzed, gardeners responded more positively on statements relating to energy levels, optimism, zest for life, and physical self-concept. Gardeners also rated their overall health and physical activity levels higher than non-gardeners.
The document discusses the importance of nature connection for human health and well-being. It notes that urbanization and technology use have reduced opportunities for meaningful engagement with nature. Nature connection is defined as a subjective, multi-dimensional sensation of belonging within the natural world. Research presented suggests that spending time in and connecting with nature is associated with benefits like lower stress, better physical health, increased well-being and pro-environmental behavior. The document proposes specific pathways like contact, emotion, meaning and compassion that can strengthen an individual's nature connection. It advocates communicating nature's benefits by framing activities around these pathways and focusing on shared humanity with the natural world.
This document discusses the Environmental Deterministic Approach to understanding the relationship between humans and their environment. The key points of the Environmental Deterministic Approach are: 1) It is based on the premise that "the earth made man" and that the environment is the creator of human beings. 2) All humans are dependent on nature and the environment. 3) From a deterministic perspective, man is subordinate to nature and the environment dominates man. 4) This approach was first proposed by E.C. Semple in 1910 and was further discussed by Grossman in 1977 based on Darwin's concepts of natural selection and adaptation to environmental factors.
El documento describe el diseño biofílico, el cual busca incorporar elementos naturales en espacios humanos para generar una reacción positiva hacia la naturaleza. Los diseños biofílicos integran luz natural, acceso a espacios exteriores y ventilación natural para estimular las habilidades humanas y ahorrar energía. Además, estas teorías encajan con tendencias sustentables dado que los recursos naturales se agotan rápidamente.
The biophilia hypothesis suggests that there is an instinctive bond between human beings and other living systems.
Edward O. Wilson introduced and popularized the hypothesis in his book, Biophilia (1984). He defines biophilia as "the connections that human beings subconsciously seek with the rest of life.”
This document discusses biophilic design, which aims to incorporate nature into built environments to benefit human health and well-being. Biophilia refers to humans' innate affinity for nature, which developed over 99% of our evolutionary history living in natural environments. While people now spend most of their time indoors, contact with nature provides numerous health benefits. Biophilic design seeks to address the disconnect from nature in modern buildings by creating environments that satisfy humans' biological need to engage with natural elements, forms and processes. The principles of biophilic design include providing repeated and sustained opportunities for direct and indirect experience of nature in interior and exterior spaces.
This document discusses biophilic design, which aims to reconnect humans with nature in the built environment. It is based on the theory of biophilia, which posits that humans have an evolutionary connection to nature that is important for health and well-being. The document outlines how biophilic design incorporates natural elements and principles to promote benefits like reduced stress, improved focus and health indoors where people spend most of their time. It examines key research on biophilic patterns like visual connections to nature, air flow variability, and use of natural materials that mimic the outdoors.
“Wilson and other Biophilia theorists assert that human beings not only derive specific aesthetic benefits from
interacting with nature, but that the human species has an instinctive, genetically determined need to deeply affiliate with natural setting and life-forms.”
and life-forms.”
Health Values from Ecosystems
`
For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214 ~
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079 ~
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348 ~
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440 ~
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Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110 ~
Investigaton of the links between the Natural Environment, Biodiversity and M...KlausGroenholm
This report summarizes evidence linking contact with nature and green spaces to positive mental health benefits. There are three main theories proposed: biophilia hypothesis suggests an evolutionary attraction to nature; attention restoration theory suggests nature helps recharge directed attention; and psychophysiological stress recovery theory suggests nature rapidly reduces stress levels. The report finds nature may benefit children's self-discipline and ADHD symptoms, help cope with poverty, crime and aggression, benefit the elderly and those with dementia, and improve hospital and community environments. Overall, the evidence suggests contact with nature can positively impact mental health and wellbeing.
Healing by Design: Healing Gardens and Therapeutic Landscapes
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For more information, Please see websites below:
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Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214 ~
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Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079 ~
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Free School Gardening Art Posters =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
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Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348 ~
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440 ~
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110 ~
This review article summarizes evidence that nature experiences provide benefits through non-visual senses and pathways beyond just sight. It discusses research on how nature benefits human health and well-being through sound, smell, taste, touch, and non-sensory avenues like ingesting phytoncides. For sound, nature sounds are generally preferred to urban noises and can reduce stress. While quiet is restorative in nature, total silence may increase anxiety. Research on other senses and pathways is more limited but emerging evidence suggests they contribute to nature's benefits in ways not fully understood. The article concludes more exploration of these non-visual avenues is needed to deepen our understanding of how nature experiences improve human well-being.
Dr. Suresh Kumar Murugesan is a passionate professor and researcher in psychology from Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. His areas of specialization include positive psychology, education psychology, cognitive psychology, and cyber psychology. The document discusses how spending time in nature or being exposed to natural elements can benefit both mental and physical wellbeing. It provides research findings that nature improves mood, reduces stress, helps people relax, and improves health, self-esteem, and social connections.
People and Green Spaces: Promoting Public Health And Mental Well-Being Throug...KlausGroenholm
This document discusses how contact with nature and green spaces can promote both individual and public health outcomes. It reviews research showing the mental health benefits of ecotherapy and being in nature. The research found that, in addition to individual benefits, activities in green spaces can achieve unexpected social and community outcomes by building social connections and natural resources. This adds value for public health that has been overlooked. The document argues for more strategic and collaborative public health policies that incorporate access to nature to improve health and well-being.
Well-Being by Nature: Therapeutic Gardens for Children
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For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159`
`
Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110
Wellbeing and the Natural Environment
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For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159`
`
Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110
This document discusses the health risks associated with fracking from the perspectives of health sciences and animal science. It outlines how fracking can contaminate groundwater and drinking water with fluids used in the fracking process. This poses risks to both human and animal health. On the human side, contaminated water raises questions about potential health effects and water quality. For animal science, the impacts on livestock and wildlife from contaminated water and environment are examined, and whether this could affect meat quality or food safety. The document conducts a literature review on these topics and aims to provide an interdisciplinary analysis of the health risks of fracking.
Health Effects of Viewing Landscapes - Landscape Types in Environmental Psychology
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For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214 ~
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079 ~
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348 ~
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440 ~
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110 ~
Therapeutic Perspective of the Multisensory Interior Garden for the Older Peoplekomalicarol
The conceptualization of the inherent relationship between man and nature is called biophilia which refers to the
belief that humans are genetically predisposed to be attracted to
nature. Science has strengthened the hypothesis contributing to its
expansion in various fields such as medicine and psychotherapeutic interventions.
The document discusses environmental ethics and how humans have fundamentally shifted their relationship with nature through industrialization. While humanity can now shape nature, unexpected consequences have emerged like global warming from attempting to dominate the environment. This has generated the field of environmental ethics to study the human-environment relationship and provide advice on how to live sustainably. The central debate is how humans should relate to nature and different views propose prioritizing either planetary health or human interests.
Health co benefits of climate change mitigation conceptual frameworkadaptaclima
The document discusses holding a seminar on May 14-15, 2014 to exchange knowledge on biomechanics, well-being, nature interactions, and the health co-benefits of climate change mitigation. The seminar will provide graduate and postgraduate students an opportunity to present their work in an open scientific forum. Specifically, the seminar will focus on evidence of alternative practices and environmental strategies that can both minimize climate change impacts and improve public health.
This document discusses environmental ethics and the responsibilities of engineers. It provides definitions and discussions of key concepts in environmental ethics like anthropocentrism, biocentrism, and sustainable development. It also outlines the major functions and responsibilities of engineers, including problem solving, decision making, and their special duty to consider the environment and human welfare. Engineers are said to operate at the intersection of science/technology and society and must balance technical, economic, social and environmental factors in their work.
Roslyn Lindheim was a social scientist and architect who developed the Planetree model for patient-centered hospital design based on social science research findings. The Planetree model emphasizes connecting patients to social relationships, nature, culture, and the human life cycle. The first Planetree hospital restructured a nursing unit to give patients more control and a less hierarchical environment through design changes like an open nursing station and overnight family areas. The goal was to personalize the environment and make patients feel more at home.
Seeds of Change- Integrative Community Approaches to Remedy Nature Deficient...Kelly Duckert
This document discusses approaches to addressing "nature deficit disorder" in Americans by increasing access to nature in communities. It describes nature deficit disorder and how lack of nature exposure can negatively impact health and development. It argues that integrating natural areas like parks and community gardens into urban planning can help remedy this issue. Specifically, it recommends preserving natural spaces through approaches like low-impact development and creating designated areas for nature immersion and food growing through community gardens. This allows opportunities for nature connection that promote well-being.
This document provides an overview of environmental science. It discusses that environmental science deals with studying human and natural systems and their interactions. It involves fields like geography, zoology, physics, ecology, and oceanology. Environmental science also includes environmental studies, which analyzes human interactions with the environment, and environmental engineering, which focuses on analyzing environmental problems and their solutions. The document outlines some key components of environmental science like ecology, geoscience, atmospheric science, and environmental chemistry. It emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of environmental science and its importance in addressing growing environmental challenges.
This document provides an overview of key topics in environmental science, including the nature of environmental science, natural resources, sustainability, and pressures on the global environment. It discusses how humans exist within and depend on the environment, and how environmental science studies these interactions. It also summarizes perspectives on population growth, the tragedy of the commons, ecological footprints, and the state of the world in terms of pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. Scientific principles and the importance of global, sustainable solutions are emphasized.
Similar to Biophilia: Does Visual Contact with Nature Impact on Health and Well-Being (20)
Marthe Cohn was a Jewish French spy who risked her life to gather intelligence for the French resistance during WWII. She infiltrated Nazi Germany using her fluent German and managed to discover key military information. As a result, the French army was able to achieve an important victory. Cohn went on to have a long career as a nurse and nurse anesthetist. She has received numerous honors for her wartime heroism and courageously fights to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive.
This document provides links to resources about organic gardening techniques, urban farming, rainwater harvesting, green roofs, straight vegetable oil vehicles, garden therapy, volunteering on organic farms in Europe, solar energy training, and eco-friendly coffee beans. It discusses how organic gardening technologies can increase plant yields by 400% and provides catalogs and manuals about topics such as city farming, backyard farming, rain gardens, and aquaponics systems. The links provide free information for organic and sustainable living practices.
Ruth Jones, a Christian teacher without a master's degree or administrative experience, was unexpectedly named principal of a struggling inner city elementary school in Grand Rapids, Michigan that was on the verge of closure due to poor academic performance. Through prayer, addressing students' practical needs, and recruiting volunteers, Jones led a dramatic turnaround of the school over 20 years. Test scores and graduation rates increased sharply, and the school now has a waiting list despite originally facing closure. Jones attributes the school's success to aligning herself with God.
- Coconut oil may help slow or prevent Alzheimer's disease in some people by providing an alternative fuel for brain cells in the form of ketones. Dr. Mary Newport put her husband Steve, who had Alzheimer's, on a diet supplemented with coconut oil, which led to improvements in his symptoms and cognitive abilities.
- Researchers have developed a ketone ester that is more potent than coconut oil, but it is very expensive to produce. Coconut oil remains a viable alternative source of ketones. Taking coconut oil may also help with other neurological diseases due to its ability to increase ketone levels and good cholesterol while reducing bad bacteria.
A teacher in Baltimore transformed the lives of students from the slums. In the 1920s, college students evaluated 200 boys from the slums and said they had no chance of success. Twenty-five years later, it was found that 176 of the 180 boys who could be located had achieved success as lawyers, doctors, and businessmen. The professor interviewed each man and they all credited their success to a teacher who had loved and believed in them. When interviewed, the elderly teacher said her simple method was that she loved those boys.
Robert Raikes witnessed the poor conditions of children in Gloucester, England in the late 18th century due to the Industrial Revolution. This inspired him to create the first Sunday school to educate and reform street children. The Sunday school used the Bible as its textbook and proved hugely successful in improving behavior and civic responsibility. Raikes' idea then spread across Britain and to other parts of Europe and America, revolutionizing religious education of children and community outreach efforts of churches. Late in life, Raikes had a profound spiritual experience witnessing a young girl reading the Bible that gave him a new understanding of faith.
The document discusses using Groasis Waterboxx devices to help plant and grow trees in dry environments like the Sahara Desert. It describes how the author and a colleague tried using 10 Waterboxx devices to plant trees in M'hamid, Morocco but their luggage containing the devices was initially lost. They were eventually found and the devices were used to plant tamarisk trees to compare growth with traditional planting methods. The document provides details on how the Waterboxx works, collecting condensation and directing water to tree roots, and hopes the experiment will help increase tree survival rates in the dry climate.
The Groasis Waterboxx is a low-tech device that helps seeds and saplings grow into strong trees in dry environments. It collects and stores rainwater and condensation to slowly water the roots daily. In tests, 88% of trees grown with the Waterboxx survived compared to only 10.5% without it. The inventor believes using this technology could reforest billions of acres and offset humanity's carbon emissions by capturing CO2 in new tree growth.
The document discusses the Groasis Technology, a planting method that uses a Waterboxx and other techniques to plant trees in dry areas with 90% less water. It summarizes that the technology (1) improves soil, maps planting areas, harvests rainfall, and uses the right planting techniques to help trees grow deep roots in the first year to survive independently. It also describes how the technology terraces slopes to harvest and direct rainfall to trees, uses 3D imaging to map ideal planting lines, and a capillary drill to quickly plant thousands of trees per day.
The document describes the Agua, Vida y Naturaleza Project (AVNP) that started in Ecuador in 2012. It is funded by the Dutch COmON Foundation to help small farmers in dry areas by introducing the Groasis Technology, which allows planting in deserts and eroded lands. The technology mimics nature by improving soil, maintaining capillary structures, and using a waterboxx device. The project aims to address issues small farmers face like lack of water, capital, and farming knowledge, in order to help alleviate world hunger and prevent farmers from migrating to cities due to lack of income from farming dry areas.
The document provides planting instructions for using a Waterboxx planting device. It outlines 6 main steps:
1. Preparing the soil by digging holes and adding compost/fertilizer or just watering.
2. Assembling the Waterboxx by placing the wick, mid-plate, lid, and siphons.
3. Preparing plants by pruning roots to encourage deep growth.
4. Planting in holes aligned east-west within the Waterboxx hole.
5. Placing the assembled Waterboxx over the planted area.
6. Watering the plants and filling the Waterboxx for the first time.
This document provides instructions for growing vegetables using the Groasis Waterboxx system. It details recommendations for greenhouse design, soil preparation, planting methods, plant spacing, watering schedules, and pest and disease management. Proper installation and maintenance of the Waterboxx system is emphasized to ensure healthy plant growth and high crop yields. Close monitoring of climate conditions and plant needs is also advised.
The document is a report on the Groasis waterboxx, a device that aims to allow farming without irrigation. It provides an overview of the waterboxx's history and development, describes its components and how it works, reviews testing that has been done, and evaluates its suitability for organic farming. In the conclusion, the report recommends that the cooperative discussed in the document not use the waterboxx yet, as more data is still needed, but could consider conducting their own tests with support from their technical services.
The document summarizes an invention called the Groasis that helps plants survive in arid climates by collecting and storing rainfall to provide steady watering to seedlings. It notes that most rainfall in deserts occurs within one week but is then unavailable, and that the Groasis uses evaporation-proof containers and wicking to deliver water to young plants over longer periods, allowing their roots to develop and access deeper groundwater reserves. Large-scale projects have used the Groasis in countries like Kenya to aid reforestation efforts and combat desertification.
The document summarizes the work of the Sahara Roots Foundation in Morocco and their use of the Groasis Waterboxx to help plant trees and reduce desertification. The Sahara Roots Foundation was established to implement development projects to conserve the Moroccan Sahara through activities like tree planting, irrigation, education, and desert cleaning. They have started using the Groasis Waterboxx, an "intelligent water battery" developed by AquaPro, to improve the survival rate of newly planted trees. The Waterboxx produces and captures water through condensation and rain, allowing trees to be planted in dry areas like rocks and deserts with a 100% success rate.
The document describes the Agua, Vida y Naturaleza Project (AVNP) that started in Ecuador in 2012. It is funded by the Dutch COmON Foundation to help small farmers in dry areas by introducing the Groasis Technology, which allows planting in deserts and eroded lands. The technology mimics nature by improving soil, maintaining capillary structures, and using a waterboxx device. The project aims to address issues small farmers face like lack of water, capital, and farming knowledge, in order to help alleviate world hunger and prevent farmers from migrating to cities.
Groasis Technology is compared to drip irrigation over a 50-year project for a 500-hectare tree plantation. Key financial indicators show that using Groasis Waterboxes results in a higher net present value (NPV) of €26.62 million compared to €21.15 million for drip irrigation, and a slightly higher internal rate of return (IRR) of 22.1% versus 23.4% for drip irrigation. Waterboxx also has a longer payback period of 7 years compared to 5 years for drip irrigation. The document provides assumptions and calculations for costs and revenues for both systems over the 50-year period.
A new technology called the Groasis Waterboxx shows promise for reclaiming desert landscapes and increasing plant survival rates. The simple device regulates temperature and moisture levels around young plants, allowing trees and crops to grow with little watering even in dry conditions. Initial trials in Africa found tree survival rates increased to 88% with the Waterboxx compared to only 10% without it. Researchers in Kenya are optimistic this technology could significantly reduce desertification and help transform the country's deserts into productive, economic areas through increased vegetation.
More from School Vegetable Gardening - Victory Gardens (20)
Biological screening of herbal drugs: Introduction and Need for
Phyto-Pharmacological Screening, New Strategies for evaluating
Natural Products, In vitro evaluation techniques for Antioxidants, Antimicrobial and Anticancer drugs. In vivo evaluation techniques
for Anti-inflammatory, Antiulcer, Anticancer, Wound healing, Antidiabetic, Hepatoprotective, Cardio protective, Diuretics and
Antifertility, Toxicity studies as per OECD guidelines
This presentation includes basic of PCOS their pathology and treatment and also Ayurveda correlation of PCOS and Ayurvedic line of treatment mentioned in classics.
Strategies for Effective Upskilling is a presentation by Chinwendu Peace in a Your Skill Boost Masterclass organisation by the Excellence Foundation for South Sudan on 08th and 09th June 2024 from 1 PM to 3 PM on each day.
Exploiting Artificial Intelligence for Empowering Researchers and Faculty, In...Dr. Vinod Kumar Kanvaria
Exploiting Artificial Intelligence for Empowering Researchers and Faculty,
International FDP on Fundamentals of Research in Social Sciences
at Integral University, Lucknow, 06.06.2024
By Dr. Vinod Kumar Kanvaria
Thinking of getting a dog? Be aware that breeds like Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and German Shepherds can be loyal and dangerous. Proper training and socialization are crucial to preventing aggressive behaviors. Ensure safety by understanding their needs and always supervising interactions. Stay safe, and enjoy your furry friends!
বাংলাদেশের অর্থনৈতিক সমীক্ষা ২০২৪ [Bangladesh Economic Review 2024 Bangla.pdf] কম্পিউটার , ট্যাব ও স্মার্ট ফোন ভার্সন সহ সম্পূর্ণ বাংলা ই-বুক বা pdf বই " সুচিপত্র ...বুকমার্ক মেনু 🔖 ও হাইপার লিংক মেনু 📝👆 যুক্ত ..
আমাদের সবার জন্য খুব খুব গুরুত্বপূর্ণ একটি বই ..বিসিএস, ব্যাংক, ইউনিভার্সিটি ভর্তি ও যে কোন প্রতিযোগিতা মূলক পরীক্ষার জন্য এর খুব ইম্পরট্যান্ট একটি বিষয় ...তাছাড়া বাংলাদেশের সাম্প্রতিক যে কোন ডাটা বা তথ্য এই বইতে পাবেন ...
তাই একজন নাগরিক হিসাবে এই তথ্য গুলো আপনার জানা প্রয়োজন ...।
বিসিএস ও ব্যাংক এর লিখিত পরীক্ষা ...+এছাড়া মাধ্যমিক ও উচ্চমাধ্যমিকের স্টুডেন্টদের জন্য অনেক কাজে আসবে ...
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
• The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
• The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
• The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
How to Manage Your Lost Opportunities in Odoo 17 CRMCeline George
Odoo 17 CRM allows us to track why we lose sales opportunities with "Lost Reasons." This helps analyze our sales process and identify areas for improvement. Here's how to configure lost reasons in Odoo 17 CRM
A Strategic Approach: GenAI in EducationPeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
Biophilia: Does Visual Contact with Nature Impact on Health and Well-Being
1. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2009, 6, 2332-2343; doi:10.3390/ijerph6092332
International Journal of
Environmental Research and Public Health ISSN 1660-4601 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
Review
Biophilia: Does Visual Contact with Nature Impact on Health and Well-Being?
Bjørn Grinde 1,* and Grete Grindal Patil 2
1 Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 4404 Nydalen, 0403 Oslo, Norway
2 Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Box 5003, N-1432 Ås, Norway; E-Mail: grete.patil@umb.no
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: bjgr@fhi.no; Tel.: +47-2107-6420; Fax: +47-2107-6447
Received: 22 July 2009 / Accepted: 27 August 2009 / Published: 31 August 2009
Abstract: It is concluded that an environment devoid of Nature may act as a ―discord‖, i.e., have a negative effect. While the term mismatch is used for any difference between present living conditions and the environment of evolutionary adaptation, discords are mismatches with a potentially undesirable impact on health or quality of life. The problem is partly due to the visual absence of plants, and may be ameliorated by adding elements of Nature, e.g., by creating parks, by offering a view through windows, and by potted plants. The conclusion is based on an evaluation of some fifty relevant empirical studies.
Keywords: biophilia; discord; quality of life; health; evolutionary psychology; plants; indoor environment
1. Introduction
The hypothesis that humans have an inherent inclination to affiliate with Nature has been referred to as biophilia [1,2]. Biophilia implies affection for plants and other living things. Cities and indoor environments are dominated by manmade objects; the question is whether the concomitant depletion of natural elements has a negative impact on the human mind.
OPEN ACCESS
2. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2009, 6
2333
In most cultures, both present and past, one can observe behavior reflecting a fondness for Nature. For example, tomb paintings from ancient Egypt, as well as remains found in the ruins of Pompeii, substantiate that people brought plants into their houses and gardens more than 2,000 years ago [3]. Moreover, in most cities, trees are planted and parks established in order to improve the environment. A tendency to add elements of Nature seems to be a universal human feature; evident wherever manmade surroundings tend to remove humans from a natural setting, and where the people are sufficiently affluent to afford doing something about it. The behavior is, presumably, a response to the biophilic quality of the human mind [4].
The first hospitals in Europe were infirmaries in monastic communities where a garden was considered an essential part of the environment in that it supported the healing process [5]. Since then the connection between greenery and either therapeutic or preventive medicine has gradually been outmoded, partly due to the advance of medical science and the concomitant technical approaches to healing. Over the last decades, however, considerable research has been carried out looking at the effects of being in Nature, and of adding plants to otherwise sterile environments. To the extent that the results are positive, the idea that access to nature can aid healing, or help prevent ailments, may eventually be incorporated into evidence based medicine.
Adding elements of Nature to living spaces can presumably induce positively valued changes in cognition and emotion, which again may impact on stress level, health and well-being. In order to allocate resources for the purpose of creating more natural environments, it is important to assess what sort of return can be expected. Here we review a range of current data, focusing primarily on recent work published in established scientific journals. Some fifty empirical studies were examined with the following aims: One, to verify whether the biophilia hypothesis has merit; two, to suggest what sort of influence the presence of plants may have on the human mind; and three, to evaluate to what extent adding elements of nature can compensate for visits to the outdoors and thereby be used as a preventive measure to improve health and well-being. Although plants may enhance the environment in several ways, including improved air quality and the addition of fragrance, we here focus on the visual impact.
2. Theoretical Perspectives
Humans, like any other species, have been shaped by the forces of evolution. The term Environment of Evolutionary Adaptation, or EEA, is used to denote the qualities of the environment humans are adapted to live in [6,7]. Obviously this environment comprised a closer presence of Nature compared to what most people experience today. Plants were of crucial importance for survival during most of our evolutionary history; as a food resource, for shelter, and as an indicator of water. On a purely theoretical ground, one would expect the presence of plants, as an integral part of the human EEA, to have had an impact on the evolution of the brain. We are presumably adapted to live in a green environment.
Deviations from the way of life for which we are genetically designed have been referred to as mismatches [8]. Some mismatches are beneficial, such as sleeping on a mattress instead of on the ground, while others may contribute to disease or reduce life quality. The word discord is used for
3. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2009, 6
2334
mismatches that have a negative impact; i.e., they cause some form of ―stress‖, at least in susceptible individuals [9].
Zoological gardens illustrate the role of discords. Zoo keepers need expertise as to what sort of conditions one ought to provide the various species of animals. As a rule of thumb the ideal is to approach as close as possible the EEA of the species in question; i.e., to offer the type of conditions that the species have in the wild. Refraining from this rule easily leads to animals that show inappropriate behavior such as hurting themselves and refusing to mate or eat. Obviously it is impossible to offer the exact EEA within the confinement of a zoo, thus the focus is on avoiding the more troublesome discords.
Modern societies can be construed as ―zoological gardens‖ in that the environment necessarily is different from the EEA. A relevant step towards improving the situation is to avoid discords by creating an environment that approaches as much as possible the EEA. A constructive strategy is to suggest candidate discords by comparing present living with assumptions about the environment humans are adapted to live in, and subsequently assess these putative discords by empirical research. The implications, as to the presence of plants, is that although the absence of natural elements is an obvious mismatch, research is required to decide to what extent it is also a discord.
Although any organ or bodily function can suffer from discords, the human brain appears to be particularly vulnerable—due to its complexity, the fact that it requires substantial maturation after birth, and that the maturation takes place in response to environmental stimuli. This vulnerability presumably helps explain why mental disorders are one of the main health problems of Western societies [10]. Thus, to the extent that a lack of natural elements is a discord, one would expect that a closer association with nature should improve psychological health. Most of the research related to biophilia has focused on positive effects of associating with plants rather than negative, i.e., discord, effects of removing greenery. According to the concept of discords, a positive effect suggests that those who presently obtain a suboptimal dose of exposure to plants have a concomitant reduced life quality. Current statistics of mental health does not contradict this model.
Most studies dealing with psychological benefits of Nature are within the field of environmental psychology, and are typically based on theories of restorative effects. Restoration, in this context, implies the process of regaining psychological, social and physical capacity [11]. One theory suggests that the visual environment is important for stress recovery and that stress reduction is faster in Nature compared to urban environments [12,13]. It is argued that stress activation has evolved through evolution as a strategy to deal with situations that threatens well-being. Too much stress may lead to various ailments, including anxiety related disorders [14]. A visual presence of plants may be one such stress-reducing factor as affective responses to visual stimuli deemed aesthetic may release tension. Beauty has been defined as visual input that gives pleasure to the mind, thus aesthetics offer per definition a positive experience. A theoretical examination of aesthetic values points towards the importance of elements reflecting Nature; such as complexity, choice of colors, perspective and balance [15]. In other words, Nature itself may offer potent aesthetic stimuli.
The Attention Restoration Theory offers an alternative way of explaining psychological benefits of Nature [16]. Directing attention to demanding tasks and dealing with disturbing environmental factors may lead to mental fatigue. On the other hand, environments that provide a possibility for more
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effortless attention offer an opportunity to restore mental capacity. Surroundings dominated by elements of Nature are thought to be restorative.
Although it would be useful to understand how the visual presence of plants can have a positive effect on well-being and health, one should be open for the possibility that the natural environment influences subconscious parts of the brain in ways that cannot easily be described. Objects within the field of vision may in fact exert an influence even if the conscious brain does not recognize their existence. The classical example is the response evoked by a twig on the ground if it remotely resembles a snake: The fear is initiated prior to any visual inspection of the twig. Similarly, plants may impact on brain processes through unconscious mechanisms even when they are not the object of focus. The absence of plants may suggest an ―unnatural‖, and thus potentially unsafe, environment.
Non-visual aspects of adding plants to the environment may also play a role, for example fragrance [17], or improving acoustics [18]. Moreover, effects on health can be conveyed by the way plants influence the microclimate, i.e., by improving humidity and purifying the air [19,20]. The present review will focus on visual aspects. Although empirical data offer clues as to possible advantages of associating with Nature, it should be noted that in most cases there is limited information as to how the effects are elicited.
3. Empirical Studies on Outdoor Environment
Over the past decades, an increasing number of studies have documented that experiences in, or of, Nature can be beneficial for human health and well-being. The issue has been reviewed in a report for the Health Council of the Netherlands [21], which concludes that there is a positive link between health indicators and living close to Nature.
More specifically, contact with Nature has been reported to have psychological benefits by reducing stress [12,22], improving attention [16], by having a positive effect on mental restoration [23-25], and by coping with attention deficits [26,27]. In addition to mental advantages, there appear to be direct physical health benefits [28], such as increased longevity [29], and self-reported health [30,31]. As might be expected, the availability of Nature correlates positively with health [32]. Benefits have been associated with various types of Nature experiences, including true wilderness [33,34], neighbourhood parks [35,36], gardens [37-39], and natural features around residences [40,41].
The stress reducing effect may be a key element as to the health benefits of Nature. Stress plays a role in the etiology and course of several common health problems, including cardiovascular diseases, anxiety disorders and depression. It is noteworthy that beneficial effects of Nature can occur even upon relatively brief exposure.
A main concern with most of the studies mentioned above is to decipher what is actually causing the benefits. Ulrich [13] points to four possible advantages: One, being in Nature tends to correlate with physical activity, which obviously promotes health. Two, Nature activities often implies socializing, e.g., in the form of walking together or sitting in a park with friends. Building social networks has a well documented potential for improving health. Three, Nature offers temporary escape from everyday routines and demands. The fourth option is the question of to what extent the interaction with Nature itself has an appreciable impact on the mind; in other words, is there an extra
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benefit of performing these tasks in a natural environment, or can the physical and social advantages alone explain the observed benefits?
The idea that being in Nature may improve health has led to organized activities referred to as therapeutic horticultural (for a review, see [42]). The term typically implies that a group of people comes together to do gardening or in other ways interact with or care for plants. Therapeutic horticultural activities have apparently had some success, primarily for people with mental health problems or learning difficulties, although empirical data is limited [43].
If Nature itself is responsible for some of the advantages, the next question is how to explain this effect? Again there are at least three options: One, the air may be more healthy in that it contains less air pollutants and more humidity; two, the plants may emit fragrances that humans find pleasant or react to in various ways [17,44]; or three, which is the main subject for the present review, the visual experience of plants makes a difference. As will be discussed below, some reports contain data relevant for singling out the potential of the latter option.
One approach relevant to the task of distinguishing between visual and non-visual effects is to consider the outcome of simply viewing Nature through a window or seeing pictures of Nature. To the extent that looking at Nature makes a difference, the other possible explanations can normally be ruled out. It has been reported that viewing natural landscapes provides psychological and health benefits, including a reduction in stress [12,13,45]. Having a hospital window with a view has been shown to improve healing, reflected in both the level of pain medication and the speed of recovery after surgery [48,49]. In reviewing this issue, Velarde et al. [50] found that natural landscapes have a consistent positive health effect, while urban landscapes can have a negative effect
To conclude this section, nature appears to have qualities useful for stress relief, mental restoration, and improved mood simply by being consciously or unconsciously ―pleasing to the eye‖. Although there are several other ways in which the availability of plants can contribute to health, the visual aspect is presumably sufficient to offer some advantage.
4. Empirical Studies on Indoor Environment
The next question is whether adding elements of Nature, in the form of plants or other items resembling Nature, to indoor environments offers some of the advantages of outdoor nature. This is a relevant question as we spend a major part of our time indoors [51].
It has been shown that office employees seem to compensate for lack of window view by introducing indoor plants or pictures of Nature [52]. An ensuing question is whether the plants or pictures improve performance, health, or well-being for the employees. In the same study population it was found that having a view to plants from the work station decreased the amount of self-reported sick leave [53].
Experimental studies on psychological benefits of indoor plants have recently been reviewed in a report including more than twenty studies [54]. Most of these studies concern people in settings reflecting everyday life, such as the workplace, students at school, or patients in hospitals. Some studies were more experimental in Nature, typically recruiting college students as subjects for testing the effect of plants in the laboratory. Almost all of the studies had a no-plant control condition, but otherwise they showed considerable variation in experimental manipulations, both quantitatively (e.g.,
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number of plants) and qualitatively (e.g., a distinction between flowering and non-flowering foliage, size, shape and plant species). The duration of exposure to plants also varied, from minutes in laboratory studies up to a year in workplace settings. The measured outcomes reflected practical concerns of the research, and included task performance, affect, physiological arousal, pain perception, health and discomfort symptoms, social behavior, and room evaluations. Some studies found beneficial effect(s), while others did not, or only found them for some groups. None of the studies reported any significant negative outcome associated with the presence of plants.
Several studies indicated that indoor plants improve the attractiveness of a room [55-58]. Dijkstra et al. [58], for example, found that by showing photos of hospital rooms with or without plants, those with plants reduced self-reported stress. Other studies also indicate lower stress level when adding plants to a windowless work environment [22,59].
The biophilia hypothesis might suggest an impact of plants on emotional states; however, several studies have failed to find any consistent impact [56,60-62]. Some studies, using mood scales including several items, found significant differences, but only on particular items [57,59,63]. Adachi et al. [57] even reported possible negative effects of plants on annoyance and temper. A couple of reports suggested gender differences in that women, particularly those with a relatively high level of preinduced stress, had the most benefit [17,44].
The idea of a stress-reducing effect also inspired experiments concerned with pain and recovery from disease [63-66]. One starting point for these studies was the idea that the pleasant and attention holding (i.e., positively distracting) properties of plants might keep a person from focusing on pain. All the studies concluded that the subjects had better tolerance for pain with than without plants present. One report [64] suggested that flowering plants have more positive effects on pain tolerance and distress than non-flowering plants. Lohr and Pearson-Mims [63] observed an effect on pain tolerance, apparently due to more than just a distracting quality of plants.
Other experiments have looked at the effect of plants on task performance or self-reported alertness [56,59,60,62]. The idea is that the presence of indoor plants may help restore attention by relaxing the subjects and help them recover from mental fatigue. Positive effects of plants were reported, although the results are somewhat ambiguous. One report found that performance on a letter identification task decreased with the presence of a larger number of plants, which was taken to suggest that fascination with plants may interfere with the focus on the task at hand [56].
A decrease in health complaints, such as tiredness and coughing, has been reported in office and hospital workers when plants were added to the work environment [67,68]. Similar findings on conceived health and level of discomfort were observed in school children [68]. The authors ascribe the positive outcome in these experiments to either an improvement in air quality, or that a more pleasant visual environment affected the amount of health complaints.
It is worth mentioning that plants may be viewed as one among many types of aesthetic features added to enhance indoor environments. A study by Lohr and Pearson-Mims [63], however, suggests that plants may have advantages. They found that plants had greater attention holding power and gave greater relief from pain compared to other aesthetic objects such as a designer lamp or an abstract picture. The room with plants was also perceived as more cheerful, pleasant, and inviting.
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As in the case of the outdoor studies, it is not obvious that the indoor results reflect solely the visual presence of plants. It is difficult to exclude an effect of fragrance or of air quality. However, it seems fair to assume that visual impact is an important factor.
5. Discussion
Taking all the reviewed evidence into account, the idea that interacting with Nature can offer positive effects on health and well-being seems to be reasonably well substantiated. Thus, the biophilia hypothesis has merit. The evidence includes studies on outdoor activities, therapeutic use of Nature, having a view of Nature (either actual Nature or in pictures), and adding plants to indoor environments. Moreover, the notion that part of the effect is mediated through visual contact with plants also appears to be substantiated. The above statement is based on empirical data, but supported by theoretical expectations, which suggest that the absence of Nature is a potential discord. The latter point has been raised recently by Richard Louv [69], who use the term nature-deficit, and suggests that the increase in prevalences of conditions such as obesity, attention disorders, and depression is partly due to a decrease in the degree children are exposed to Nature.
Biophilia may be described as a vague preference for having a natural environment as a consequence of our evolutionary history. As such, one would expect that plants are agreeable, and that the absence of greenery is sensed, possibly unconsciously, as a stress factor. In other words, the presence of plants can impact on the human mind. Biophilia, however, is probably not an attribute with a strong penetrance. Thus the relationship between humans and plants is likely to be shaped to a large extent by cultural factors and individual peculiarities [47].
On a theoretical basis, it should be expected that if plants in a natural setting have an impact, so would indoor greenery. However, one might also expect that disconnected, potted plants are less potent than outdoor Nature. The overall trend in the literature appears to support this contention. In their review, Bringslimark et al. [54] focused on the benefits of indoor plants. They concluded that although some findings recurred, such as enhanced pain management with plants present, the mixed results from the studies suggest that more research is needed in order to define possible effects. None of the studies reported obvious negative effects. It might be argued that if there was no effect, an equal number of studies would be expected to find negative as positive correlates between health parameters and the presence of plants. On the other hand, publications are liable to the bias of preferential reporting of positive results. It is not possible to know how many trustworthy neutral or negative findings that are not published, but the fact that several articles reported absence of effect indicates that both types of results would be publishable.
One problem in detecting possible effects is that most studies, for practical reasons, span a short time-period. Some only look at brief exposure to plants, while others may follow subjects for a year or so. To the extent that the absence of plants is a discord, one might expect that the consequences are more likely to be apparent over a life time. Moreover, although the therapeutic or preventive potential of plants is likely to be limited, as the indoor environment is the daily setting for a majority of the present population, even minor effects of adding plants can add up to a substantial decrease in the health burden on a global scale.
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The positive effect of having a view from the window may be related more to the perceived openness than to any particularities of the vista. Velarde et al. [50] addressed this issue and concluded that seeing open water is better than open city landscapes, but that green landscapes offered the best effect. In this context, it should, however, be mentioned that green spaces perceived to be unmanaged may have an adverse effect in the cities by causing an increased anxiety for crime [70].
Some studies reported differences in the response to plants depending on gender [17,44,61,62]. Although the results were somewhat mixed, there seemed to be a tendency for women to respond stronger to plants than men. On a theoretical ground one might expect that women take more interest in plants due to differences in activities during the formative period of human evolution; that is, women were supposedly more involved in gathering plants as food, while men were more tuned towards hunting. However, the difference may also be due to cultural bias; for example, in Western societies it has traditionally been the task of women to care for the home, which will typically include both garden and indoor plants.
There seems to be a current trend towards a love for TV and computer screens rather than for nature, in that people use the former more and the latter less [71,72]. Although indoor plants may ameliorate some of the negative effects of this trend, it can hardly be more than a substitute for experiencing real Nature outdoors.
The biophilia trait can be reinforced or subdued by individual learning. It seems likely, however, that even in individuals who do not express any appreciation for plants and nature, the lack of nature can have a negative effect. Moreover, although the demonstrated effects are not overwhelming, the cost of making nature available, if only as potted plants, is neither prohibiting. In other words, it seems worthwhile to encourage interaction with plants, both outdoor and indoor, as this is likely to be a useful environmental initiative with a sound cost-benefit profile.
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