9/23/24: Exposure to Nature Promotes Healthy Aging, Be More Hopeful, Winners of the 2024 Wildlife Photo Contest, and More
Elizabeth Moore
Author | Consultant | Conservation, Parks, and Recreation Expert | [email protected]
Every week I share feature articles, news, tools, and actions to help everyone protect and enjoy our wonderful planet, from the sea to the sky and everything in between. In this week's issue:
#bluegreenbetween #theoceanisforeveryone #conservation #parksandrec
Something Important: Exposure to Nature Promotes Healthy Aging
Added to all the other great things that being in nature can do for you, new research adds healthier aging . Being outside among green surroundings--even a small yard or park--can slow your cognitive decline later in life, especially for those with a lower income and city dwellers. And for those who can't easily access green space, even a video or virtual reality nature experience has its benefits.
Something New: The Dangers of Repeated Information
New research has found that hearing or reading something more than once, even if the statement goes against something you know is true, can make you more susceptible to believing the falsehood. But there are science-based steps we can all take against mis-and disinformation, including getting your news and information from a variety of trustworthy sources; actively debunking information you know to be false but do so with kindness and empathy; and trusting your gut when it tells you something is too good to be true.
Something To Do: Be More Hopeful, Even in Dark Times
Without hope, we fall into the abyss of "nothing I do will make any difference" and we will be less likely to take action to address the complex and sometimes overwhelming issues facing our societies and planet. But how do you do about building and maintaining your hope and optimism in the face of sometimes overwhelming problems and pessimism? This article from Greater Good summarizes eight ways to do so, from University of New Mexico Professor William Miller's new book 8 Ways to Hope. Among them: lean into your desire for a better future and believe it is attainable; build or rebuild trust among your social and institutional relationships to help attain that future; and understand and cultivate what give meaning and purpose to your life.
Something To Enjoy: Spell Out Your Name in LandSat Photos
A fun gift from the great folks at NASA: a tool to spell your name out in Landsat photos. Landsat is the US government's long-running program of satellite surveys of the planet and has more than fifty years' worth of imagery from which to pick. Take a fun break and see how our planet spells out your name!
Something to Celebrate: Winners of the 2024 Wildlife Photo Contest
The Museum of Natural History in London has announced the winners of this year's wildlife photo contest, among them: a manatee and her baby among seagrass (and I dare you to not fall in love with manatees, if you aren't already, after seeing this image!); some affectionate and fuzzy owls, and peacocks in amazing silhouette. Nature rocks!
That's it for this week - see you next week!