CONSERVATION FOR THE REALIST

We are suffering from a lack of connection to nature. An absence of “touching grass” as it is affectionately referred.

Humans evolved in tandem with the natural world. It is part of who we are and where we come from. Regardless of whether you love the outdoors or prefer the comfort of your couch, every one of us carries an inherent draw toward nature — a reflection of our deep evolutionary roots.

This connection to nature is thought to have kept us alive in our early days as humans. Paying close attention to the environment around us was a matter of survival. Our brains and emotional systems developed by learning to fall in step with nature, to trust it, to find stability and security in its rhythms.

This idea, known as the biophilia hypothesis (proposed by E.O. Wilson), suggests that humans possess an evolved affinity for life and living systems. It may help explain why we find joy in stories like Snow White or Bambi, why people are drawn to gardens and forests, and why Japan’s doctors prescribe forest therapy to ease stress and improve wellbeing. Some studies even suggest that people in close contact with the natural world — such as farmers — often report higher levels of life satisfaction and overall happiness.

But we do not have as much nature as we used to. Urban development, climate change, extractive industries, and corporate greed have robbed us of so much of our natural spaces. Each new generation spends more time in front of a screen and less time outdoors. The traditional layout of cities often incorporates greenspace as an afterthought, and most of us are so far removed from our food system that what we buy in the store looks nothing like where it came from.

We are not scratching that itch that is our connection with nature. Whether we realize it or not, our nervous systems benefit from time outdoors – the familiarity of sights, sounds, and patterns it evolved to recognize. Instead, many of us live in concrete jungles with minimal exposure to the living world. It is little wonder then that we are in a growing global mental health crisis.

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Another related set of psychological concepts describes this: solastalgia and species loneliness.

Solastalgia is described as nostalgia for an environmental condition. The most frequently cited example is the changing levels of snowfall and not experiencing a “real” winter as the climate changes. The absence of “white Christmases” is the loss of an opportunity to recreate fond memories and share those experiences with future generations. This a form of climate grief.

Species loneliness, a newer concept, is a result of biodiversity loss and the the disappearance of relationships with other species. Perhaps this helps to explain why we love our pets, our urge to hand-feed squirrels, or our excitement at going to the zoo. We crave connection with other species because it reminds us that we belong to a larger web of life, not apart from it. While wild animals should never be treated as pets, recognizing our shared existence — as fellow experiencers of life on this planet — remains profoundly important.

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There is no single cause for the global mental health crisis. Depression, anxiety, and other disorders are a result of complex and overlapping issues – social media and screen time being an important one.

Mainstream psychology and mental health practitioners are beginning to acknowledge the role that being outdoors can have a very real positive influence on mental health. Equal access to parks and wild spaces remains an urgent concern, but the good news is that these things are achievable. Promoting greenspaces and outdoor access is low-risk and high-reward for both people and planet.

But, in the meantime, take a moment to step outside. While it may not solve all your problems, touching some grass could be a good place to start.

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References

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Jiménez, M. P., DeVille, N. V., Elliott, E. G., Schiff, J. E., Wilt, G. E., Hart, J. E., & James, P. (2021). Associations between nature exposure and health: A review of the evidence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(9), 4790. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094790

Li, Q. (2010). Effect of forest bathing trips on human immune function. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 15(1), 9–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12199-008-0068-3

Albrecht, G. (2007). Solastalgia: The distress caused by environmental change. Australasian Psychiatry, 15(S1), S95–S98. https://doi.org/10.1080/10398560701701288

Gaekwad, J. S., Beck, S. R., & Kahn, P. H., Jr. (2022). A meta-analysis of emotional evidence for the biophilia hypothesis. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 949551. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.949551