Earth Day 2021: Taking a Walk In the PaRx

Happy Earth Day. If you have been following ecotherapy posts, this one is especially for you.

As of March 2021, the Park Prescriptions Program was launched in Ontario. This enables doctors to give a "PaRx" medical prescription of spending time in nature (Martinko, 2021). 

Why this can be so beneficial it is no mystery to many people throughout the world, across many cultures and varieties of physical environments. The mental and emotional benefits of greenspace and bluespace on people in urban workplaces has been studied, as well as the emotional impacts of low vitamin D and not getting enough sun. 'Forest Bathing' has also been discussed across continents, and the developmental benefits of free play in nature was examined in depth by Richard Louv in his book, Last Child In the Woods.

Louv is also the man who coined the term 'nature deficit disorder'. Unfortunately I don't have a copy of the book anymore, but it might have been in the foreword where he wrote about how he didn't come up with that term intending to add to medical jargon. However, now in the midst of the pandemic it is possible that this descriptive term might resonate with more people than ever.

And for some, maybe especially during Earth Month.

Surprising to many, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) tends to be at its worst starting in the spring. While winter blues is real, seasonal depression takes a new swing in April of each year (CMHA).

This year, there is also a pandemic to deal with that has come with grief for many, and that has stretched on much longer than some us might have anticipated. The third wave that loomed over Ontario for a little while arrived with rain and earlier sunsets and collective complaints of bad sleep; this increase of insomnia over the pandemic in Canada as well as other countries such as China has been dubbed "coronasomnia" (Lufkin, 2021).

Original source unknown. Different versions of this meme

are being reposted all over social media.

There may be many factors driving this, but less time outside may very well be amoung them. Sunlight is known to play a key role in maintaining the body's healthy circadian rhythm, while exposure to artificial lights can be disruptive to this. Experiments from University of Rochester found a nearly 40% increase in vitality of participants spending time outside in green, natural environments. (Heid, 2016).

Referenced Times writer Mark Heid also highlighted this point from Richard Ryans, a psychology professor from University of Rochester: "While more is better, just 20 minutes a day spent in green spaces has an “enhancing effect” on vitality, Ryans says, as long as you leave your smartphone behind. If that’s not possible, packing your place with plants or just looking at photos of nature can chill you out, he says."

And with numbers to sketch out the details or not, many would wholeheartedly attest to the positive associations between lowered feelings of stress, and more good feelings when spending time in nature.

There is also information on park prescriptions available for patients and doctors alike, including on parkprescriptions.ca/prescribers. This page includes explanation on why writing out a PaRx is particularly beneficial to patients. It also touches on how people connecting with nature also benefits the environment as a whole, which extends out including the natural environment and communities (Mackay, 2019). 

This year has been hard on so many people, but time in nature has most certainly softened the blow. In parks and on trails, and while drinking a bit of sun next to plants on windowsils. Some words people have used to describe how they feel in nature include invigorated, peaceful, creative, happier, kinder.

Earth Day is in a sense, a reminder for us to be kind. This Earth Day and every day, may we be kind, and find happiness in the little things.

Sources

CMHA. (n.d.). Seasonal Affective Disorder. Retrieved April 22, 2021, from https://cmha.bc.ca/documents/seasonal-affective-disorder-2/

Heid, M. (2016, April 27). You Asked: Is It Bad to Be Inside All Day? Retrieved April, 2021, from https://time.com/4306455/stress-relief-nature/

Mackay, C. M., & Schmitt, M. T. (2019). Do people who feel connected to nature do more to protect it? A meta-analysis. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 65, 101323. doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2019.101323

Martinko, K. (2021, March 10). Ontario Doctors Can Now Prescribe Time in Nature to Patients. Retrieved March, 2021, from https://www.treehugger.com/ontario-doctors-prescribe-time-nature-patients-5115293#:~:text=Two hours a week, 20,from time spent in nature

Lufkin, B. (2021, January 25). The 'coronasomnia' phenomenon keeping you from getting sleep. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210121-the-coronasomnia-phenomenon-keeping-us-from-getting-sleep

Visit parkprescriptions.ca/whynature for more information on Canada's PaRx program, and how it helps.

The Air of Mice and Men

A study published in Environmental Health Perspectives showed that baby mice exposed to concentrated, real urban air particles were more impulsive later than ones that were not. The mice were trained that to receive a sugary reward they could either press a lever 25 times, or wait for one to be released (called "delay discounting"). However, the releasing  interval were irregular and if a mouse pressed the lever, the waiting time would be reset. The ones that breathed in the pollution particles at four-days-old reset the system up to 43% more times by pressing the lever instead of patiently waiting. This number exhibits how those exposed to urban air pollution in the developing stages of life show more impulsive behaviour for self-gratification, and less patience as adults than ones not exposed to the tiny pollution particles. Such impulsive behaviour has been linked with cognitive and behavioral disorders such as ADHD and substance abuse, strongly suggesting a link between exposure to pollution during the developing stages of the brain and behavioural effects later on in life. Other dangers of ultrafine pollution particles from sources such as cars and factory production include damage to the lungs, heart, and brain, which are being made more evident through studies like this.

Polluted air is bad for not only lungs, but also the minds of people and other animals all sharing the same air and must suffer because of mankind's mistakes. The article did not mention other health effects these poor mice experienced from breathing in man-made pollutants, though asthma was included in damage to the lungs and I wonder if that affected them too. I believe that it is no coincidence that while society advances in technology, sometimes leaving appreciation for nature behind, psychological disorders are becoming more of a problem.

This report brings back the statistic that in one year, 100% of Ontario university graduates in therapy found a job within six months of graduating, displaying the great need for mental health professionals. 

In his book Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv writes, “Reducing the [nature] deficit...is in our self interest, not only because aesthetics or justice demands it, but also because our mental, physical, and spiritual health depends upon it. The health of the earth is at stake as well.” Combined observations and evidence strengthens my conviction that an appreciation is also important for developing minds —and throughout one's entire life— both chemically and psychologically. This is the very air of the planet that we are poisoning, and no temporary conveniences can be worth that price! By being more aware of the way our actions affect the environment and other living things, more knowledge will no doubt lead to healthier decisions.

Bibliography

Butt, C. (2013, February 27). Baby mice exposed to air particles seek instant rewards, a behavior

linked to addiction. — Environmental Health News. Environmental Health News: Front Page. Retrieved March 12, 2013, from http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/2012/10/2013-0121-mice-ultrafine-particles-impulsive-behavior/

Louv, R. (2005). Introduction. Last child in the woods: saving our children from nature-deficit

disorder (Updated and Expanded ed., p. 3). Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.

(Old) Personal Essay: Saving Children's Connection with Nature

[Posted at a later date in 2013 after reviewing old essays]

Melody Tadeo

ENG 3DO

Ms. Mooney

10 September 2012

Saving Children's Connection with Nature

   Thinking back on the fondest of childhood memories, the first ones that come to mind always take place outside in the fresh air. Whether it was pretending to be a monkey climbing trees, watching the birds and fish in the lake with my mother, or simply exploring out of doors. Birds singing in the trees, grass between your toes, waves tumbling across the water. It is so peaceful. As I’ve grown older I’ve been able to do more outdoor activities independently and with friends, and have even begun to learn about the complexity of different ecosystems and their organisms. I’m sure that many would agree that being out in nature is the best place to be, yet no one can deny the fact that more and more kids --and even adults-- are drifting away from nature, and I am seeing it happen in my very own community.

   As neighborhood safety decreases as well as free time, children are being kept inside, and so they attempt to find other fun things to do inside. I remember being fourteen and not allowed to go to the park by myself. In an age where technological advancements are constant and people become more reliant on technology for things such as work and education, it is also the first choice of entertainment for many kids. While it is true that technology can be very beneficial, things such as television, computers, and video games are often not used in balance. This is not simply a passing phase, it is a trend. Even as children mature and become more independent, many will choose TV over playing outside, and even outdoor playtime is often limited to structured sports. In the suburban community I reside in there was a program called “Nature Camp,” but it didn’t happen like all the other summer camps because in the second most-populated city, in the second largest country in the world, not enough kids signed up. Richard Louv --author of Last Child in the Woords-- described the epidemic of kids being so distanced from nature as “Nature Deficit Disorder.”

   So we see the trend, but what effect is it having? According to the Government of Canada’s Healthy Canadians, Child obesity has nearly tripled in Canada over the past 25 years, and one cause is a lack of exercise. It has also been statistically proven that a group of children that spend more time outdoors have greater agility and cognitive abilities than a group that spends little time outdoors. Studies show that unstructured outdoor time in nature is good for people physically, emotionally, and mentally, and have even been known even to reduce depression and prevent Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Too much screen time not only has negative effects, but also negative effects socially. Then there is the problem that is so evident, that many kids just do not care about nature anymore. With one of history’s greatest environmental crises on the rise, the future generation needs to care about the environment and animals. Not only is is good for individuals, it is important socially and for nature itself. Ecosystems and wildlife will need to be protected, and that can only be done if it is appreciated. Nature is important for individuals, communities, and for the sake of the planet.

    Nature is not only where physical needs are provided, but has also been the inspiration for all sorts of people, from painters to biologists, and people simply seeking wholesome recreation. It is both genuine art and science, and is a necessary part of the lives of both the young and those who desire to stay young at heart.

    It is my hope that action being taken in my community will inspire more youth to be drawn to nature, and bring the benefits of the miracles of nature into their lives. In the words of Edna Jaques, “Go out, go out I beg of you And taste the beauty of the wild. Behold the miracle of the Earth With all the wonder of a child.”