Comments on: The Paradox of Nature and Human Nature?

By: Expedition: Fatbikerafting the Arctic | 77Zero

Expedition: Fatbikerafting the Arctic | 77Zero — Sat, 19 May 2012 08:22:51 +0000

[...] a newsflash, but humans are wild animals. Our isolation from nature has been shown to be unhealthy for us as individuals and for nature in turn. The recent development of mountain bikes with massive tires in combination with packrafts [...]

By: Geoff

Geoff — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:15:00 +0000

I sometimes wonder if I read you r posts for my own gratifying sense of confirmation bias.
good luck on the trip.

By: Erhart C

Erhart C — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 01:19:00 +0000

You say true, and I say, thank ya, Andrew. Your summary of the benefits of experiencing the ‘natural’ environment is spot on with the most current research. As you said, the natural healing powers of green views and green space are not entirely understood but are unequivocally real. And while architects certainly do not possess the proper powers of creating these benefits via indoor environments, I would point to a different profession- landscape architecture- that, in the least, works towards creating positive outdoor spaces in the hulking steel, glass, concrete and asphalt vistas of our modern metropolises. Now, I am not saying that landscape architects can perfectly mimic the natural setting of a forest meadow or boulder field, but research has shown that even their feeble attempts at ‘bringing nature back to the city’ have the same physical/psychological benefits as taking a hike in a national forest- albeit to a smaller effect, arguably.

The irony of the (my) profession, is that while my work is obsessively focused on getting people outside to experience their urban environments, connect with nature, and appreciate our photosynthetic partners, we (I) spend most of my time indoors working in front of a computer, pointing and clicking infinite times to transform ideas into physical reality. Thus, I am succumbing, myself, to the very notion that I am trying to rationalize to everyone else- that working indoors for 8 hours a day, sedentary and sedated, is very un-human. Or, at the very least, is very unhealthy.

It is a catch-22 that I am very aware of, yet am at the moment subjecting myself to in pursuit of a paycheck, a little bit of self-satisfaction, and happiness. The satisfaction being, that I am working to wake people up in their city and make them recognize that those trees lining the street are more valuable to their personal happiness than a Rolls Royce or iPad.

Here’s to self-inflicted depression by means of pursuing happiness!

Venture on, friend.

By: Dipsacus

Dipsacus — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 19:44:09 +0000

Cheers for that, Andrew – always a great pleasure to read your stuff and I like the ambition of this new blog. You might find this report quite intreresting, if you haven’t already come across it: http://dc359.4shared.com/doc/-GguPqEb/preview.htm…

By: The Primal Parent

The Primal Parent — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 20:30:03 +0000

Thanks for this article, Andrew. It’s great to read about health and happiness from an angle other than food and exercise and hormones and nutrients…. Nature is there to nurture us if we let her. And now, the sun is shining and, well, it’s time for a walk!