Why Are Green Spaces Important?

The dictionary defines green space as “community space consisting of land (such as parks) rather than buildings.” But, outside of textbook definitions, green space can mean many different things in many contexts and to many different people. A green space can be a place of respite in the midst of a busy string of errands; it can be a charming spot where meet cutes occur; it can be childhood memories of days spent running, playing, laughing. For those reasons and many more, green spaces are important. Let’s talk about that! Green Spaces Provide Social, Environmental, and Health Benefits Yes, green spaces offer them all! In fact, the positive impacts they bring to a community socially, environmentally, and healthfully are so numerous that we’ve got a dedicated post planned for each category.    For now though, here are some insightful factoids to remember: More social activities are observed in common spaces that have trees compared to treeless spaces of the same size. Older adults who have more exposure to green common spaces report a stronger sense of unity among residents within their neighborhood. Social relationships have been shown to affect mental health, health behavior, physical health, and mortality risk.  Urban vegetation […]