Revisiting the “personal care” component of the Personal Climate Action Center, the tip of this week is to spend some time out in nature. It's now well documented that being in nature is important for your health and well being. For example an article by Harvard University explains that interacting with natural spaces offers many benefits - calming nature sounds and even outdoor silence can lower blood pressure and levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which calms the body's fight-or-flight response.

And if you can't make it outside, listening to nature sounds can have a similar effect, suggests a report published by Scientific Reports. Researchers used an MRI scanner to measure brain activity in people as they listened to sounds recorded from either natural or artificial environments. Listening to natural sounds caused the listeners' brain connectivity to reflect an outward-directed focus of attention, a process that occurs during wakeful rest periods like daydreaming. Even looking at pictures of nature settings, your favorite spot, or a place you want to visit can help. For more incentive - here is a fun list that summarizes 10 Reasons Why Being in Nature is Good for You.

So whether you visit a city park or immerse yourself in the back country, we thank you for your commitment to protect nature and all that it gives us.

Wishing you and yours a safe, healthy holiday season and an abundance of peace in the New Year!

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