March 31st

By Mutt Mulligan

Vitamin G (Greenspace)?

A study out of the Netherlands looks at the green elements of the landscape around us and how it seems to affect health, well-being and feelings of social safety. 

One of the compelling questions is:  How strong is the relationship between the amount of green space in people’s living environment and their perceived health and well-being, and feelings of safety and is this relationship stronger for specific population segments and/or types of green space? How can this relationship be explained?

Simply put, do we need Green?  I think many of us don’t think about it if we have it around us.  But, in urban settings, where there are more paved surfaces, missing green space may impact our health in many ways.   Do you need green space around you?