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9 Helpful Tips for a Zero-Waste Halloween

by LindaS4852756 Posted on October 25, 2018

All those Halloween tricks and treats really add up. For 2018, Halloween spending is predicted to reach $9 billion in the United States ? with an average price tag of $86.79 per person, according to the National Retail Federation. And the part most likely to make you say “Boo!” is much of what people buy for Halloween ends up in the trash. To give your wallet and the environment less of a scare, here are nine helpful tips for a zero-waste Halloween.

1. Choose candy in recyclable packaging

Halloween candy can lead to a frightening amount of waste. Those bite-size candy bars come with a lot of packaging, but trick-or-treaters usually only can accept items that come in sealed wrappers for safety reasons. Fortunately, there?s a lot of Halloween candy that comes in recyclable packaging ? namely items in cardboard boxes or aluminum foil. Yes, there are no guarantees they will be recycled, but it?s better at least to give your trick-or-treaters the option.

2. Find alternate treats

If you want to move away from the candy route entirely, there are many alternatives you can hand out to trick-or-treaters. ?Waste-less ideas include pencils made from recycled money, small coins or recyclable items that will find a useful place in a kid’s life ? as opposed to a home at the bottom of the garbage bin,? The Wilderness Society suggests. If you?re a crafty (and ambitious) person, you can make an assortment of small artwork or crafts for kids to pick from. Not every trick-or-treater will be thrilled about the lack of candy, but many will appreciate the change from all the sugar already in their treat bags.

3. Pick a reusable bag for your candy tote

Those plastic pumpkins are everywhere on Halloween. But do kids (or you trick-or-treating adults) really need more wasteful plastic in your life? If you already have the plastic pumpkins from Halloweens past, by all means keep reusing them ? or turn them into holiday decor. But instead of giving in when your kids beg for a new pumpkin to use as their candy vessel, offer to buy or make them a reusable tote bag instead. It might just set your kids on a path to becoming eco-warriors themselves.

4. Donate candy

It?s likely you?ll find something in your Halloween candy haul that you don?t like or can?t eat. Or maybe you or your kids came home with way too much candy for you ever to consume. Gather the candy you won?t (or reluctantly shouldn?t) eat to donate instead of throwing it out. Depending on where you are, there are many charities that gather candy for needy families or soldiers. Just a little effort on your part could immensely brighten someone?s day.

5. Skip store-bought costumes

What?s Halloween without a scary good costume? But typical store-bought costumes are alarming for another reason. ?Store-bought costumes are often made up of nonrecyclable petro-chemical based plastic and synthetic fibers,? according to The Wilderness Society. ?Those Halloween costumes can include one of the scariest plastics ? polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a soft plastic and known carcinogen that releases harmful toxins in its creation and breakdown.? So instead of buying a new costume, consider making one with items you already have or borrow from a friend. Or check thrift stores and costume rental companies if you don?t already have something that works. And remember you can donate old costumes or recycle them through textile-recycling programs.

6. Plan a Halloween party instead of trick-or-treating

It?s pretty inevitable that if you go out trick-or-treating, you?ll return with some wasteful ? albeit delicious ? items. That doesn?t mean you have to totally deprive your little (or adult) goblins and ghouls of the trick-or-treating fun. Instead, strike up a compromise if you must. Limit your trick-or-treating to only a couple blocks (aiming to pick the candy with recyclable packaging), and then host a Halloween party back home. You can control the waste produced at your own party and still have a spooktacular holiday.

7. DIY your decorations

If you buy decorations, make sure they?re durable enough to use for years to come. But there are many decorations you can easily make yourself with items you likely already have. ?Don?t discount the old standbys: White sheets still work well as ghosts, scarecrows are best when decked out in old grubby clothes, and candles ? still cast a perfectly eerie glow,? Recyclebank says. For instance, make a ghost by stuffing the middle of an old sheet with leaves or newspaper and tying that part off to form the head. Plus, look through your recyclables for ideas. There?s likely a Halloween craft just waiting for your imaginative spin.

8. Decorate with fall?s harvest

Nature makes some pretty amazing decor, too. And if you adorn your home with fall?s harvest, the decorations will last you all season ? rather than just Halloween. ?Decorate with things that can be composted, such as pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks, hay, leaves, and sticks,? Recyclebank suggests. If you can, purchase some of those items directly from the grower, and plan to eat and compost them, too. You?ll definitely get your money?s worth with natural decorations.

9. Cook your decor

Finally, what?s Halloween without cooking up some delicious pumpkin guts? If you?re buying pumpkins for carving or decor, don?t waste any part of them. ?The flesh of a pumpkin makes wonderful pies, muffins, smoothies, soups, lasagnas, chilis, pastas, and even puddings,? Recyclebank says. ?Pumpkin seeds are great snacks you can prepare in the oven, on the stovetop, or even on a grill.? And remember you can compost pumpkins as long as they haven?t been painted. Or simply smash your pumpkin, and bury the pieces in your garden to enrich the soil. No word on whether its pumpkin ghost will come back to haunt you though.

Related Stories:

How to Keep a Zero Waste Pet
10 Tips for Creating a Zero Waste Home
How Going Zero Waste Made Me a Better Person

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9 Helpful Tips for a Zero-Waste Halloween

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10 Sustainable Mattress Companies: Choosing Your Perfect Green Sleep

by MyrtisMoowattin Posted on September 24, 2018

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5 Simple Ways to Reduce Dangerous Toxins in Your Home

by PEYPenelop Posted on August 18, 2018

After a long day, there?s nothing like taking a deep breath and relaxing at home. But don?t get too comfortable. That air you?re breathing might be making you sick.

We face countless pollutants each day, and some of the worst can be in our home environments. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports indoor air often has more pollution than outdoor air, even in populated cities. And because many of us spend the majority of our days indoors, that can pose some serious health hazards.

So what can you do to make your indoor air cleaner? Here are five simple and inexpensive ways to reduce indoor toxins and breathe a little easier in your home.

1. Plant some houseplants

Plants are nature?s air filter. And despite mixed research on their effectiveness of reducing indoor air pollution, one thing is for sure: It can?t hurt to bring some greenery into your space.

According to Healthline, plants remove toxins either by trapping them in their tissue or breaking them down into benign byproducts. It?s ideal to have one potted plant per 100 square feet indoors. That might not be enough to totally clear the air of toxins, but it will provide some mild air-scrubbing effects.

Besides reducing toxins, indoor plants also can help make you an overall healthier person. For one, the humidity plants release boosts our ability to fight allergies and infections. Plus, research has shown being around plants makes people calmer, more focused and generally happier.

2. Invest in an air purifier

There are many shapes and sizes of indoor air purifiers. And unless you have a health issue that necessitates an industrial-sized unit, you likely can reap some benefits from the cheaper, portable purifiers.

The devices work to remove particle and gaseous pollutants in the air, though they have their limitations, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. For instance, purifiers with mechanical filters are good at capturing airborne particles; however, larger particles tend to settle in the environment before the filter can pick them up. Thus, using an air purifier should put a dent in your home?s pollutants, but it likely won?t be enough for completely healthy air.

3. Increase ventilation

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Opening a window for some “fresh air” is a pretty appropriate description. Building materials, furniture, cleaning products and moisture are just a few sources of indoor air pollution. And your home needs a way for those to vent out before they accumulate to dangerous levels.

According to the World Health Organization, improving ventilation has been estimated to reduce lung-related illnesses by up to 20 percent. Increasing ventilation also promotes moisture control, which helps to hinder mold growth, according to the CDC. So open your doors and windows whenever possible, and use outdoor-venting fans to maintain a healthy air flow.

4. Limit off-gassing

You spend months picking out a new couch. You get it home, position it exactly where you want it, sit down and take a breath. What?s that smell? Toxic compounds.

Many new products we bring into our homes ? including furniture, carpets and construction materials ? contain volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. And those VOCs tend to evaporate, or off-gas, into the air, sometimes over the course of years. Pressed-wood products are major off-gassing offenders, often containing formaldehyde among other chemicals. According to the EPA, formaldehyde can cause eye, nose, throat and skin irritation, as well as cancer.

To combat off-gassing, limit the products you buy with VOCs. Shop for secondhand furniture that has completed its off-gassing process. And if you must bring something with VOCs into your home, allow it to off-gas with plenty of ventilation.

5. Remove your shoes

Your mom was right when she told you to take off your shoes at the door. It?s not just muddy footprints you?re tracking in. Think of everywhere you go in a day. During your trek, your shoes can pick up bacteria, parasites, allergens, pesticides and countless other nasty materials.

One study found the outside of shoes averaged 421,000 units of bacteria, including E. coli. According to the study, the bacteria could survive on shoes over long distances, and they would easily transfer to previously uncontaminated floors. But there?s a silver lining. Washing the shoes according to manufacturer instructions reduced the bacteria by 99 percent. In between washes, just leave those dirt traps at the door.

Related Stories:

7 Sources of Indoor Air Pollution
6 Houseplants That Will Thrive in Your Bathroom
20 Houseplants That Clear Toxins From Your Home

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5 Simple Ways to Reduce Dangerous Toxins in Your Home

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8 Ways to Green Your Water

by TerrenceJefferie Posted on August 16, 2018

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Scroll, Click: Are Your Online Purchases Green?

by RobinBroome Posted on July 16, 2018

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7 Old-School Hacks to Help You Stay Cool all Summer

by MandyLienhop Posted on July 10, 2018

Whether it’s Chinese medicine or your great grandmother, those who came before us (and before A/C) had some powerful techniques to help them stay cool when the temps started to rise.

‘So what, we all have air conditioning now?!’ you may be saying.

Well, hold on. Not everyone has regular access to A/C or even loves using it. For some, it can worsen dryness and allergies, plus most units are incredibly noisy. And?it’s not so great for the environment.

Sometimes, it’s preferable?to cool off the old-school ways. So whether you have an air conditioner?or not, here are some tried-and-true traditional techniques to help you make it through the hottest, stickiest part of the summer.

1. Eat watermelon and aloe vera.

In Ayurvedic tradition, watermelon and aloe are cooling foods, which means they help to release heat from the body. Munch on watermelon and mint salads when you’re looking for a refreshing, hydrating snack or try this?refreshing Aloe Vera Detox Drink recipe.

2. Close and open windows strategically.

Whatever you do, do not open your windows in hot weather. In fact, you should even close your blinds during really hot days to keep your house cool and shaded.

If the outdoor temperature?cools down at night, open up all the windows to allow for some refreshing?airflow. Batten the hatches again in the morning.

Repeat daily.

3. Try this analog fan hack. ???

Long before air conditioning, people used to place bowls filled with ice in front of fans. As the fan blows, it picks up the cool air surrounding the ice and circulates it around the room.

Not only is this an environmentally friendly way to mimic A/C, but it is really effective. Enjoy this?blissfully cool breeze on the most muggy, sticky, stagnant summer days.

4. Sleep with damp cotton sheets.

This may sound weird and pretty uncomfortable, but in a sweltering evening, it can be a sleep-saver.

Use a spray bottle to spritz your cotton sheet with water so that it is slightly damp. The idea is, as you sleep, the damp sheet actively draws heat away from your body, keeping you cool and snoozing soundly.

If you’re not into damp bedding, you could try?popping your dry cotton sheets and pajamas into the freezer to give them a deep chill before you snuggle in at bedtime.

5. Take a cold shower.

Sometimes the issue isn’t your room. Sometimes the issue is you. Releasing?the excess heat in your body can make your time spent in a room sans air conditioning much more tolerable.

Spend five minutes under some cool water, and you’ll come out the other side feeling enlightened and relaxed!

6. Stop using your stove during the day.

If you can use a grill, go for it. Otherwise, either do all your cooking in the morning, well before the heat of the day, or opt for a slow cooker or Instant Pot, which don’t put off much heat.

And whatever you do, don’t even think about turning on your oven!

7. Put a cold pack on your pulse points. ?

Your wrists, ankles, groin, and neck are all prime areas for temperature biohacking. These are locations where the skin is thin, and large blood vessels are relatively close to the skin.

By putting an ice pack on these points, you’re effectively cooling down your blood and letting that coolness flow through your entire body. It’s like internal air conditioning!

Air conditioning isn’t the be-all end-all of summer. People have survived for millennia in the heat without A/C. With a few tried and true techniques, you can, too.

Related on Care2

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7 Old-School Hacks to Help You Stay Cool all Summer

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7 of The Germiest Places in Your Home – And What to Do About Them

by AntwanDwy531240 Posted on June 24, 2018

You may already approach public toilets or street food vendors with caution, but harmful bacteria can be much closer to home. Hotspots throughout your home can act as unintentional breeding grounds for dangerous pathogens.

Read on to discover some of the most high-risk areas and how to keep germs out of your home for good.

1. Kitchen Sponges

An NSF International study found that kitchen sponges topped the list of the dirtiest places in your home. The warm, wet conditions in an ordinary kitchen sponge create a haven for harmful microorganisms to multiply. To make matters worse, these pathogens get spread throughout your kitchen as you wipe counters, sinks and cutting boards with your sponge. Kitchen sponges are a serious enough health threat that the FDA banned their use in commercial kitchens.

Cleaning and Safety Tips

If you?d like to keep your kitchen sponge, check out these ways to keep your sponge clean. But, overall, the best way to prevent sponge contamination is to stop using them. Dish cloths or rags make good replacements because they dry faster, which makes them less likely to grow bacteria. Hang them out flat after each use and let them dry thoroughly before using again. Have a few cloths in rotation so you always have a dry cloth handy.

2. Kitchen Sink

Your kitchen sink can breed germs almost as well as your kitchen sponge. It?s where you wash harmful bacteria and other pathogens off your fresh food, but they don?t all go down the drain. Some collect and multiply in your sink?s damp and inviting environment. One study found coliform bacteria in almost half of the kitchen sinks they sampled. Coliform bacteria, such as Salmonella and E. coli, are bacteria that originate in feces.

Cleaning and Safety Tips

Wash your sink thoroughly at least twice a week. Scrub it with a brush to get off any encrusted bacteria first, then spray your sink, taps, faucet and brush with a disinfectant. Let the disinfectant sit for at least 10 minutes before rinsing off.

3. Coffee Makers

The reservoir in your coffee maker is another surprizing source of bacteria. Its moist and dark conditions make it ideal for germs. Yeast and mold have been found in 50 percent of household coffee maker reservoirs. Also, coliform bacteria are present in about one in ten coffee makers.

Cleaning and Safety Tips

Follow the cleaning instructions on your coffee maker, which typically recommend to add equal parts white vinegar and water to your reservoir, let it sit for half an hour, then brew the solution. Do this about every month to keep mold and bacteria to a minimum. The carafe, lid and filter basket should be cleaned daily.

4. Kitchen Countertops

Your kitchen countertops are exposed to a host of nasty germs carried on the bottoms of grocery bags, purses, backpacks, electronics and even pets. This is also where you prepare the majority of your food, so it?s vital to avoid any cross-contamination.

Cleaning and Safety Tips

Keep non-food items off your kitchen counter and disinfect it after preparing any fresh food. Follow the manufacturer?s recommendations on how to clean your countertop properly, depending on the type of material it?s made from.

5. Toothbrushes and Toothbrush Holders

Toothbrushes pick up bacteria from your mouth and provide a safe, damp environment for them to multiply. If that?s not icky enough, they can also pick up airborne germs that are released when you flush your toilet. A 2012 study found that the bacterium Clostridium difficile can be sprayed 25 centimeters (nearly 10 inches) above the toilet if you flush without closing the lid.

Cleaning and Safety Tips

Make sure your toothbrush and holder are in a well-ventilated area so they can dry out as quickly as possible. It?s recommended to run your toothbrush and holder through the dishwasher once a week, as well as get a new toothbrush at least every three months. And, of course, always close the lid before flushing your toilet.

6. Washing Machine

You may not think of your laundry as a potential source of bacteria, but research has found that the average person?s underwear contains about a tenth of a gram of fecal matter. Another disturbing fact is that germs are not killed in a washing machine. If one item of clothing contains bacteria, viruses or other contaminants, these will spread to 90 percent of the other clothing during the wash cycle. Washing in hot water won?t really help either, as most germs can survive in hot water.

Cleaning and Safety Tips

The only way to get your clothes hot enough to kill bacteria and other pathogens is to put them in a dryer for at least half an hour on high heat. You can also dry them in the sun because ultraviolet light will destroy bacteria. Wipe the inside and outside of your washing machine with a disinfectant after each use, especially if anyone in your household is sick. And run your empty washing machine with water and bleach, or other disinfectant, at least once a month.

7. Reusable Shopping Bags

A University of Arizona study found that 97 percent of people surveyed never washed their reusable bags. And this is a problem. The study also randomly tested 84 reusable bags collected from shoppers in Tucson, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Over half the bags contained many strains of harmful bacteria, including coliform bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli. Researchers pointed out that these bacteria are especially dangerous for young children, as their immune systems are still developing.

Cleaning and Safety Tips

Designate certain bags to use only for fresh food, then label separate bags for fresh produce, raw meat and other fresh foods. Wash these bags after every use, dry them in your dryer and never use them for packaged foods or purposes such as carrying books or clothing.

Related on Care2

How to Make a Non-Toxic Cleaning Kit
10 Spring Cleaning Tasks That Will Make Your Home Healthier
The Art of Kaizen: How to Trick Your Brain Into Being Motivated

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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7 of The Germiest Places in Your Home – And What to Do About Them

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How to Conduct a Home Energy Audit

by Wesley72Ppqhw Posted on April 25, 2018

Energy is a precious resource, and wasting it can really?take a toll on your monthly utility bill and on the environment. On the flip side, taking the time to locate and address your home’s greatest inefficiencies is one of the best things you can do to ensure the energy?you’re buying is being put to good use.

But how do you discover those energy inefficiencies? A home energy audit of course!?So block out your Saturday??? it’s time to take a tour of the?attic, windows and doors, and a couple of stops?in between. Here’s what you’ll need before you get started:

  1. A clipboard and pencil to take notes
  2. A smartphone or computer with internet access
  3. A measuring tape or ruler
  4. A stick or two of incense and matches

Step #1: Take a peek at?your insulation.

On average,?30 percent of heated air is lost through leaks in attic floors. That’s 30 percent of your heating costs going toward energy that will never heat your home! According to the Department of Energy, the vast majority of homes built before 1980 were not properly insulated when built.

Ready to find out if your home is?losing conditioned air? Follow these steps:

  1. Fill out this form to determine your home’s recommended R-value (a measure of thermal resistance)
  2. Submit the form and mark down your results. Save for later.
  3. Measure the depth of visible insulation in your attic using this tutorial.
  4. Calculate your home’s current R-value.

Return to the recommended R-value you discovered in step one. Is your home’s R-value less than the recommended value? You’re probably losing energy. Consider hiring a contractor to insulate your place!

Step #2:?Check for draftiness.

Besides gaps in the attic, drafty walls and crawl spaces are also big causes of wasted energy. Air leaks can be a little bit difficult to find, but sealing them up can make a huge difference in the comfort of your home.

Here’s how to find air leaks in your house:

  1. Shut all windows, fireplace flues and exterior doors (leave interior doors open).
  2. Turn on every exhaust fan that blows air outside (clothes dryer, bathroom fans, vents, etc.).
  3. Light an incense stick and hold?it in front of access points like doors and window frames, as well as attic hatches, electrical outlets and vents.
  4. Look for smoke that wavers or blows in odd directions. This signals a draft!

Step #3: Examine your windows.

Those windows giving you all that gorgeous natural light could also be a main source of energy loss! Similar to insulation, windows?are rated by U-factor ? aka their ability to keep conditioned air inside where it belongs. The lower the rating, the better.

Here’s how to check your windows:?

  1. Grab the R-value you calculated earlier in step number one.
  2. Input that value into this calculator and leave the U-factor section blank. Calculate.
  3. Mark down the result. This is the?recommended U-factor for your home!

If the U-factor you calculated is a lot lower than the U-factor listed on your windows, you are most certainly losing energy. They aren’t up to snuff. To solve the issue, look into replacing single pane windows with double pane windows, as well as considering air sealing.

Action Steps

Make it through? By now you should have a solid idea of whether your home is well-insulated and well-sealed, as well as whether it’s operating efficiently or inefficiently. Take note of those areas of improvement. Every upgrade?you make?to address energy inefficiencies is a step toward a more comfortable, more eco-friendly home.

These upgrades are also a great investment!?Looking to sell your place in the future? A well-insulated home will be much more attractive to buyers. Sticking with your place for the long haul? You’ll get to reap the benefits for years to come. Enjoy it!

What steps have you taken to make your home and your lifestyle more eco-friendly?

Related Stories:

9 Questions to Ask Before Buying Solar Panels
11 Home Energy Enhancers
An Easy Guide to Saving Energy in Your Home

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How to Conduct a Home Energy Audit

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5 Ways Spending Time in Nature Benefits Your Brain

by AngleaBozeman Posted on April 12, 2018

Your brain doesn?t need an expensive supplement or trendy superfood to stay healthy. Research shows all you need to do is spend some time in nature. This can include many different natural environments, such as city parks, farms, beaches, wilderness areas or your home garden. The most important part is to find somewhere with as many living things and as little evidence of human presence as possible.

Although, this can be easier said than done. Over 50 percent of people now live in urban areas, which is estimated to rise to 70 percent by 2050. And urbanization is taking a toll on our brain function and mental health. City dwellers have a higher risk of depression, anxiety, mood disorders and schizophrenia compared to those who live in rural areas.

You owe it to yourself and your mental health to make a habit of spending time in nature. Take your dog for a walk in your local city park. Plan excursions to wilderness areas near your home. Or sit in your backyard and watch the birds for a while. You?ll be doing your brain a big favor.

HOW NATURE BENEFITS YOUR BRAIN

1. Boosts Creativity and Problem-Solving Skills

Not only are more of us living in urban areas, we?re also rapidly increasing our use of technology. Working on computers, checking cell phones and otherwise interacting with electronic devices is shown to place heavy demands on your brain?s ability to focus and process information.

Researchers at the University of London investigated the effects of nature to rebalance this technological drain on our cognitive abilities. They took a group of adults backpacking in the wilderness for 4 days where they were not allowed to use any technology whatsoever. They were asked to complete tasks that required creative thinking and complex problem solving before the trip, and again at the end. Their performance on the tasks improved by an impressive 50 percent after spending 4 tech-free days in nature.

2. Promotes Compassion and Generosity

Looking at a beautiful forest, beach or other natural scene gives many of us a sense of awe or wonder. And this sense of awe is shown to increase our feelings of caring and connectedness towards others.

In a series of studies, one research group found that when you experience awe, it increases your ethical decision-making abilities, generosity and positive social behaviors, such as being helpful and cooperative. Researchers suggest this is because awe often gives you a sense that you are a small part of something bigger, which seems to encourage a shift to caring about how you relate to others and your community rather than simply yourself.

3. Sharpens Mental Focus

A University of Michigan study asked participants to complete a memory test, go for a walk, then repeat the test again after they returned. One half of the group walked through a local arboretum and the other half walked down a busy city street. Those who had walked among the trees improved their performance on the memory test by almost 20 percent. Whereas, the city walkers had no noticeable improvement.

Researchers believe this is because being in a city requires your brain to process far more information compared to being in a natural setting. If you?re constantly being bombarded by city life, your brain essentially gets tired. Viewing nature gives your brain a chance to take a break, which allows it to come back to cognitively demanding tasks with renewed energy.

Interestingly, the study also found you don?t even need to enjoy your time in nature to benefit. The benefits were similar when participants walked outside on a warm summer day or a freezing day during winter. The only difference was that participants enjoyed the summer walks more than those in the depths of winter.

4. Stops Negative, Obsessive Thinking

Dwelling too much on things you feel are wrong with yourself or your life is not healthy. Habitually ruminating on negative thoughts like this is known to put you at risk for depression and other mental illnesses. It?s also been found to be much more common among those who live in cities. Although, simply taking a walk in your local city park is shown to combat this tendency.

In a recent study, participants reported their amount of rumination before and after a walk in a natural or an urban area. Those who walked for 90 minutes in nature reported a decrease in their negative thinking. They also had reduced activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex of the brain, an area related to mental illness. Those who walked through an urban area reported no reduction in rumination, and their brain scans also showed no improvement.

5. Helps ADHD

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurobehavioral disorder of childhood. Symptoms often include an unusually high level of inattention, impulsivity and/or hyperactivity. A national study found that common after-school and weekend activities done in natural, outdoor environments may be effective in reducing these symptoms, such as simply reading in your backyard instead of inside. Researchers felt this could provide a widely available, free and non-pharmaceutical way to help those with ADHD.

Related on Care2

Why a Walk in the Woods Is Vital for Your Health: The Science Behind Forest Bathing
4 Ways to Reduce the Damage of Prolonged Sitting
7 Proven Health Benefits of Prayer

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5 Ways Spending Time in Nature Benefits Your Brain

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5 Ways Spending Time in Nature Benefits Your Brain

by AngleaBozeman Posted on April 12, 2018

Your brain doesn?t need an expensive supplement or trendy superfood to stay healthy. Research shows all you need to do is spend some time in nature. This can include many different natural environments, such as city parks, farms, beaches, wilderness areas or your home garden. The most important part is to find somewhere with as many living things and as little evidence of human presence as possible.

Although, this can be easier said than done. Over 50 percent of people now live in urban areas, which is estimated to rise to 70 percent by 2050. And urbanization is taking a toll on our brain function and mental health. City dwellers have a higher risk of depression, anxiety, mood disorders and schizophrenia compared to those who live in rural areas.

You owe it to yourself and your mental health to make a habit of spending time in nature. Take your dog for a walk in your local city park. Plan excursions to wilderness areas near your home. Or sit in your backyard and watch the birds for a while. You?ll be doing your brain a big favor.

HOW NATURE BENEFITS YOUR BRAIN

1. Boosts Creativity and Problem-Solving Skills

Not only are more of us living in urban areas, we?re also rapidly increasing our use of technology. Working on computers, checking cell phones and otherwise interacting with electronic devices is shown to place heavy demands on your brain?s ability to focus and process information.

Researchers at the University of London investigated the effects of nature to rebalance this technological drain on our cognitive abilities. They took a group of adults backpacking in the wilderness for 4 days where they were not allowed to use any technology whatsoever. They were asked to complete tasks that required creative thinking and complex problem solving before the trip, and again at the end. Their performance on the tasks improved by an impressive 50 percent after spending 4 tech-free days in nature.

2. Promotes Compassion and Generosity

Looking at a beautiful forest, beach or other natural scene gives many of us a sense of awe or wonder. And this sense of awe is shown to increase our feelings of caring and connectedness towards others.

In a series of studies, one research group found that when you experience awe, it increases your ethical decision-making abilities, generosity and positive social behaviors, such as being helpful and cooperative. Researchers suggest this is because awe often gives you a sense that you are a small part of something bigger, which seems to encourage a shift to caring about how you relate to others and your community rather than simply yourself.

3. Sharpens Mental Focus

A University of Michigan study asked participants to complete a memory test, go for a walk, then repeat the test again after they returned. One half of the group walked through a local arboretum and the other half walked down a busy city street. Those who had walked among the trees improved their performance on the memory test by almost 20 percent. Whereas, the city walkers had no noticeable improvement.

Researchers believe this is because being in a city requires your brain to process far more information compared to being in a natural setting. If you?re constantly being bombarded by city life, your brain essentially gets tired. Viewing nature gives your brain a chance to take a break, which allows it to come back to cognitively demanding tasks with renewed energy.

Interestingly, the study also found you don?t even need to enjoy your time in nature to benefit. The benefits were similar when participants walked outside on a warm summer day or a freezing day during winter. The only difference was that participants enjoyed the summer walks more than those in the depths of winter.

4. Stops Negative, Obsessive Thinking

Dwelling too much on things you feel are wrong with yourself or your life is not healthy. Habitually ruminating on negative thoughts like this is known to put you at risk for depression and other mental illnesses. It?s also been found to be much more common among those who live in cities. Although, simply taking a walk in your local city park is shown to combat this tendency.

In a recent study, participants reported their amount of rumination before and after a walk in a natural or an urban area. Those who walked for 90 minutes in nature reported a decrease in their negative thinking. They also had reduced activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex of the brain, an area related to mental illness. Those who walked through an urban area reported no reduction in rumination, and their brain scans also showed no improvement.

5. Helps ADHD

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurobehavioral disorder of childhood. Symptoms often include an unusually high level of inattention, impulsivity and/or hyperactivity. A national study found that common after-school and weekend activities done in natural, outdoor environments may be effective in reducing these symptoms, such as simply reading in your backyard instead of inside. Researchers felt this could provide a widely available, free and non-pharmaceutical way to help those with ADHD.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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5 Ways Spending Time in Nature Benefits Your Brain

Posted in alo, bigo, FF, GE, LAI, LG, ONA, oven, PUR, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on 5 Ways Spending Time in Nature Benefits Your Brain