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Nature's Healing Power, Green Recipe

2023-1-LT02-KA152-YOU-0001485692023Mobility of young peoplefinalized
Countries: LT|BG|IT|HU|PT|RO|TR · Grant: €23,580
Environment and climate changeGreen skillsKey competences development

Objectives

Our initiative was sparked by the realization that exposure to natural environments can help mitigate the harmful effects on people's mental health of stressful situations like the recent COVID-19 pandemic. As the population of cities grows, it becomes clear that people are spending less time outdoors, underscoring the need to rethink city planning and green infrastructure. More and more studies by psychologists and environmental scientists confirm the beneficial effects of time in nature on one's mental health, lending credence to this realization. Projections show that 70% of the world's population will live in urban regions by 2050, so it is crucial to solve the urban-nature balance before it is too late. However, several studies have shown that time spent in nature has significant psychological advantages as well, including the reduction of symptoms associated with mental health issues like sadness, anxiety, and mood disorders. Respected University of Chicago psychologist Marc Berman underlined that people of all mental health backgrounds could benefit from spending time in green settings since they improve cognitive elements such as attention, memory, and creativity. There has been a paradigm shift toward nature-oriented interventions for mental and physical well-being, and the Shetland Islands of the United Kingdom are at the forefront of this movement by including nature-based activities like bird viewing and beach walks in medical prescriptions. These results highlight the importance of including elements inspired by nature in urban development. As evidence mounts that spending as little as a few hours a week in nature can have a substantial impact on reducing the current "mental illness epidemic," more public locations must incorporate green spaces. Our project's primary goal was to provide people with empirical evidence of nature's health-promoting features, stress-reducing impacts, and recuperative capabilities, hoping this would increase their motivation. We aimed to help young people who had felt nature's transformative power firsthand share their perspectives and experiences with a broader audience. The following are some of the precise goals we set out to accomplish: - Inform young people about the healing power of nature and green prescription literacy and activities and enlighten them on this subject. - Demonstrating the effect of nature’s healing power on human psychology to raise awareness of green nature and environment among young people - Promote the motivation and competence of young people to protect the environment by demonstrating appropriate environmental behavior and activities.

Project partners (7)