March 16th

By Mutt Mulligan

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by getting some green time

St. Patrick’s Day might feel a little different for your family this year. The TurfMutt Foundation has a suggestion. Why not celebrate the “green holiday” by getting outside and enjoying the green spaces around you?

Caring for and spending time in our yards and community green spaces (i.e. being an “outsider”) is good for our health and well-being. Studies prove that spending time in our living landscapes reduces stress, improves memory, boosts heart health, and offers a host of other benefits for our minds and bodies.

Here are a few easy ways to get a dose of vitamin N(ature) on St. Patrick’s Day and beyond.

• Take a walk. Lace up your athletic shoes and head out for a walk around the block or to your neighborhood park. Take the family dog with you if you have one. Be sure to keep an eye out for four leaf clovers!
• Get your kids moving. A rousing game of tag or hide and seek in the family yard is a great way to counter cabin fever and screen time.
• Play with your dog. A dog’s favorite “room” of the house is your family yard. Take inspiration from your pup and spend a few minutes outside playing Frisbee or fetch.
• Clean up your outdoor living room. If the weather permits, take on a few yard chores like weeding a flower bed, sweeping off the back patio, or picking up debris from your lawn.
• Dine al fresco. Taking a meal outside is one of the easiest – and most nourishing – ways to enjoy the outdoor space around you. Have breakfast with the backyard birds. Lunch on your patio overlooking your yard. Enjoy coffee under a shade tree.
• Study or read a book. Take the “work” out of homework by moving study or reading sessions to your backyard.
• Sit back and relax. Sometimes the best thing to do is absolutely nothing at all. Spend some time in a hammock, spread a blanket out on the grass, or take a meditation break outside to soak up the nature around you.

Learn more about the benefits of our family yards and community green spaces by visiting TurfMutt.com.