I just signed on to David Suzuki’s 30×30 Challenge, which means I will go outside for at least 30 minutes each day in June. The goal of this for me is to change my habits to ensure more outdoor time. For the Suzuki Foundation, it is a way to assess attitudes from a broad range of people before and after focused attention to outdoor time, and begin to develop data on our benefits from nature.
Third, I’m glad I have a porch so I can be outside and enjoy this time more easily, even in the rain. As an architect, I need to keep porches and other sheltered yet outdoor spaces in mind.
Why do we care about outdoor time? We are just beginning to truly understand the influences of outdoor air, airflow and the sounds of outdoors. We are also re-recognizing the positive effects that even simple references to nature can have on our total health. Here are some quotes from the January 2016 issue of National Geographic, which is focusing this year’s reporting on the history and benefits of our National Parks:
- Forest walks can decrease one stress hormone by as much as 16 percent.
- Nature can improve creativity by up to 50 percent.
- Virtual nature is soothing, too…[when experiencing a] virtual forest with singing birds..their heart rate soon recovers the normal rhythm [after stress].