Nature Rx (start time: 9:33): Nature is good for your health. Sounds obvious, but what does science tell us? A walk in the woods can help to calm your nervous system and spark novel ideas, and spending time in nature can reduce symptoms of PTSD or ADHD. Little is actually known about how nature offers healing effects. How much nature is enough, and to do what, exactly? How enduring are the effects? “Nature” isn’t only limited to places like Yellowstone or Rocky Mountain National Park. Nature abounds in some cities, as well. City parks, tree-lined neighborhoods, your own garden — these are slices of nature that can improve your physical and mental well-being. Researchers are measuring the effect of living near trees, for instance, on cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. Today’s show is the first in a series we’ll offer on the connections between nature and human health. It’s called “Nature Rx.”
Our three guests today are working in the nexus between environmental conservation and human health, to make cities part of the solution: Dr. Ted Smith, director of the Center of Healthy Air, Water and Soil, at the University of Louisville’s Envirome Institute; Christopher Hawkins, Urban Conservation Program Manager at The Nature Conservancy; Janette Heung, principal and owner of JWG Global, a management consulting and research think tank in Colorado focusing on environmental conservation and public health. Read more in the Colorado Outdoor Rx report and the UN Environment Programme report on air pollution.
Hosts: Susan Moran, Joel Parker
Producer and Engineer: Joel Parker
Executive Producer: Susan Moran
Contributors: Beth Bennett, Shelley Schlender
Listen to the show here: