Rediscovering our connection with nature
By homz | December 12, 2022
We’ve co-grown with nature. Since we first sparked two stones all the way to finally capturing a glimpse of the legendary black hole – nature has always remained by our side. But have we stayed on its side? We gradually disconnect from nature as we continue our path to more fantastic inventions. What’s worse is that overpopulation, pollution, burning fossil fuels, and deforestation are causing detrimental issues to nature. But there’s another serious issue here – environmental generation amnesia. Before we get into it, let’s examine the effects of living with nature.
Life in the lap of nature
The natural world is incredible and inspiring. Our rivers, forests, and soil provide us with the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the food we eat. But these are just surface benefits. There is mounting evidence, from a great deal of research, that nature benefits both psychological and physical health. Here are four other ways it’s great for us.
| Healing | Surrounding ourselves with nature or even viewing scenes of lush greens helps reduce anger, fear, and stress while increasing pleasant feelings. But there’s more. Exposure to nature contributes to physical wellness by lowering BP, heart rate, and muscle tension. |
| Soothing | Nature helps in coping with grief and pain. The science behind it is that we are genetically programmed to find natural elements engrossing. Thus, we are absorbed by its beauty and distracted from our discomfort. Research done in hospitals, offices, and schools have found that even a simple plant in a room can significantly impact emotional health. |
| Restoring | Research reveals that nature, or wilderness scenes, is associated with a positive mood and vitality. In one study in Mind, 95% of those interviewed said their mood improved after spending time outside, changing from depressed, stressed, and anxious to more calm and balanced. Nature also helps with increasing concentration. |
| Connecting | According to a series of field studies by Kuo and Coley at the Human-Environment Research Lab, when we meet people and spend time together in an area surrounded by nature, our connections are stronger to each other and the world at large. |
Nature inspires feelings that help us remain calm, collected, and connected to our environment. But urbanization is taking us away from nature today more than ever before. Additionally, our newer generation lives in a much more evolved world of tech than we did, diminishing their connection with nature.
During an August 2021 survey of parents in the United States, 51% of respondents claimed that their children had more than 3hrs of screen time daily. Screen time of US children further increased significantly during the recent pandemic.
The byproduct of growing up in the concrete jungle and with more screen time than scenic views is that the younger generation doesn’t feel the urgency of climate mitigation. That’s because what they see today is what is normal for them. This is as opposed to the older generation, who know first-hand how the world changed from more natural surroundings to scarce. This is what is labeled Environmental Generational Amnesia.
Environmental Generational Amnesia: a memory loss that may cost us nature
Places or artificial areas that make you feel “in nature,” such as campgrounds or parks, are likely different than those that your parents or grandparents would have cited.
This is what University of Washington psychology professor Peter Kahn calls Environmental Generational Amnesia. It states that each generation perceives the environment into which it’s born as the norm. This is irrespective of how polluted or urbanized it has become. This degrades not only their passion for restoring a greener world but also diminishes their desire to connect with nature. And as we stated earlier, nature has far-reaching physical and psychological benefits, which they completely miss out on. Without worry.
Because of this, parents are looking for more environment-led living to give their children a real taste of a nature-based environment. And suburbs are the right place to start looking at.
Homz Communities: enabling connection with nature
People more connected with nature are happier, feel more vital, and exhibit solid pro-environmental behaviors. Homz communities comprise over 54 amenities based in park-like surroundings, making an ideal environment for families to interact with undisturbed nature while not losing sight of their urban living needs. Our communities offer nature-based amenities such as:
- Outdoor kid’s park
- Pet parks
- Miyawaki forest
- Water bodies
- Outdoor gym
- Walking path
- Jogging tracks
- Biking trails
- Outdoor amphitheater
- Natural open field
- Green spaces
The entire layout of the community and the amenities are based on “interactive pattern design.” In short, this architectural landscaping combines the feeling of living in nature with modern convenience. For instance, the walking trails are amidst natural greens, making the resident feel like they live in a forest but, at the same time, can visit it daily because it’s right within the community. We created urban environments with nature to give the residents, and their kids, the best living experience.
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