What Does Nature Give Us
The natural world is an incredible wonder that inspires us all. The Earth offers us so many gifts, from obvious ones like food, water and materials, to less obvious ones like art, inspiration, spirituality and beauty. Here we explore the benefits of each of these gifts we are given freely.
Nature provides vital basic services to support human survival, such as food and clean drinking water and the absorption of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. But evidence is also accumulating about the benefits of a nature -rich environment to people's health and mental wellbeing.
Not only should we head to nature to connect with ourselves, but we should also go there to connect with the wealth of wonderful flora and fauna. When we can see wildlife and plants in their natural environment, we gain more appreciation for them.
Even during the times of cavemen, nature has been proving material to man to use and build from, including stone, clay, wood, mud, cork. All of these are still used in interior design and never go out of fashion, just because they are durable and beautiful. There is a trend of including more natural elements in our décor, like bamboo, copper, marble, even the element of water in the form of aquariums and fountains.
Natural environments can also inspire you. Many famous writers, poets, artists and photographers have found that natural spaces have inspired their work. Some even feature these natural places within their art! But it’s not just creative types that can be inspired by nature.
Nature can help provide ideas to all the problems you face. That’s because nature can improve our brains abilities, boosting memory performance and attention span by around 20% with just an hour spent outside.
Governments must stop prioritizing corporate profits and rethink the way we produce and consume food and other goods to ease the pressures on nature. Transform our systems to value both people and the planet we rely on, and to put our wellbeing at the heart of spending and policy decisions.
Learning to experience the gift of life through our senses in nature helps us to feel thankful for all the amazing things that we have in our world!
*Photos: TLMB