Search Results for "nature"

Report: Access to Nature Improves Health Outcomes


Access Nature Improves Health Outcomes

After spending most of the last year indoors, Latinos and all Americans are ready to experience the world around us, again — including spending much-needed time outdoors. Not only is the prospect of walking on trails, hiking, camping, and other recreational activities exciting, it will lead to better health outcomes. People’s access to places such as parks, trails, as well as other green spaces is correlated to increased levels of physical activity and other positive health effects, according to new research from Stanford University. “Nature experience boosts memory, attention and creativity as well as happiness, social engagement and a sense of meaning in life,” said Gretchen Daily, senior author on the paper and faculty director of the Stanford Natural Capital Project. ...

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Building for Holistic Health: Connecting to Nature


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Feeling the sun’s rays, breathing in cool air, lying amongst the trees, standing in the rain — all ways of how nature can ground people and bring about feelings of joy. While it’s true that most Latinos and Americans might spend up to 90% of their time indoors, building design can give inhabitants a sense of connectivity to our environment, or biophilia. Construction workers and architects should make the most of nature to create health-centric structures, according to the American Institute of Architects (AIA). “Simply put, nature is good for us because we are part of nature,” writes Dr. Miles Richardson, director of core psychology programs at the University of Derby. “We are human animals evolved to make sense of the natural world, and this embeddedness in the ...

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San Antonio Joins Effort to Connect Kids to Nature



Fewer than 40% of San Antonio residents are within a 10-minute walk of a park. Better local access to green spaces is critical, given that exposure to nature can boost children’s academic performance, physical activity and mental health. That’s why San Antonio has joined the Cities Connecting Children to Nature Initiative. The initiative, which started in 2016 as a pilot project to increase equitable access to nature in seven cities, expanded to include 11  more cities in 2018. As one of the 11, San Antonio will get 2.75 years of technical assistance and $75,000 in planning and implementation grants. But just how will San Antonio increase kids’ connection to nature? San Antonio Lacks Access to Parks Most of the U.S. population lives in urban areas, where inequitable ...

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Austin Solves ‘Nature Gaps’ with Green School Parks



Austin, Texas has many "nature gaps." In these areas, families lack parks for kids and families to play, which hinders their mental and physical health. Government and school officials in this 38% Latino city wanted to connect children with nature, which can boost students' academics and health. Their solution? "Green School Parks" that combine outdoor learning in nature during school time and act as a park for the community during out-of-school time. The Fist Step to Green School Parks More than two-dozen schools across Austin have shared use agreements that help fill the nature gap. In these agreements, schools open their schoolyards to the public after school and on weekends. But not all schools have green play areas—some are just asphalt. Fortunately, in ...

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Iris Guzman: Caring Nature Drives a Desire to Boost Public Health


Guzman Iris-Edit

What’s better than waking up to an encouraging text message? Iris Guzman, thanks in part to supportive texts each morning from her father and her experiences as a first-generation Mexican-American, has developed a similar caring nature for the health and welfare of Latinos. Guzman, who is from Nayarit, Mexico, is currently a second-year master’s-degree student in public health at UCLA’s Department of Community Health Sciences. She has a consistent desire to research the social, cultural, and environmental determinants of health. Particularly, she wants to study these determinants in order to reduce and eliminate health inequities in the Latino population. To further her training and education, Guzman applied for the Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training ...

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Teachers Connect Children with Nature One Day a Week


Outdoor Education Source Andy Manis For the State Journal

What happened when 10 teachers in Wisconsin committed to take their elementary students outside one day a week to explore and play in nature? The students studied the natural world, learned other lessons, and got physical activity outside. Successful outdoor education! "Playing outside is different socially, emotionally and physically than what happens in the classroom," one of the teachers told the the Wisconsin State Journal. Why Is Outdoor Education Good for Kids? Outdoor teaching and recess during school can improve students' learning, and much more. It can boost physical, mental, and emotional health, particularly for Latino kids who don't get as much time for physical activity during the school day. It also can foster a desire to conserve and preserve green space ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 1p ET 7/5/16: “#NatureWalks & #LatinoHealth”


young adults walking exercise coronavirus covid-19

Kids who are physical activity are scientifically proven to achieve higher school grades, better attendance, improved behavior, and improved health. So where can kids find infinite options for physical activity? Nature. Many studies show that spending time in outdoor physical activity can positively impact mental and physical activity and health. But Latinos tend to lack availability of and safe access to parks and other natural spaces.. Let’s use #SaludTues on July 5, 2016, during the #NatureWalks theme month and #SuperJuly National Parks and Recreation Month, to tweet about the “Power of Nature” and how parents, schools, and communities can improve awareness of and access to nature among Latinos and everyone. WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “#NatureWalks & ...

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Update: Colorado Have The Signatures To Get Soda Taxes On The Ballot



Recently, the coalition Healthy Boulder Kids set forth language for a sugary drink excise tax. The tax would be a measure to help raise around 3 million annually to fund programs for families to have more access to healthier foods and exercise in Boulder, Colo. Now volunteers from the coalition have joined together and have collected 9,417 signatures securing the 4,700 required for the tax to be put on the city's ballot for November. Groups like Healthier Colorado, have contributed funding to help support the measure that, according to local news, has received widespread support. Boulder County Latino Chamber of Commerce, Dental Aid, Clinica Family Health Services, the American Heart Association, and many more businesses and organizations have endorsed the measure as well, stating ...

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Children & Nature : Studies Show Increase In Memory & Attention



Studies from all over are funneling down on the facts about how nature and the great outdoors prove to help the learning environment for kids and adults alike. A recent study from US National Library of Health, reveals a link between the "greenness" of green spaces and school performance. Another study in 2015 from University of British Columbia, shows that rough play, usually in outdoor settings, increase a child's health socially and physically. These studies are finding the benefits of nature and being outdoors are helpful for: Cognitive Development Memory Function Critical Reasoning Diversified Learning Physical health To read more on this check out the full ...

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