“Greene” Spaces and Your Health

With today’s increasingly digital and industrial environment, it’s important to connect with nature. Fortunately, students here at St. Lawrence University are surrounded by abundant outdoor spaces and resources. The importance of these connections stems from environmental psychology, which provides insight into the relationship people have with the natural world around them. Environmental psychologists investigate a multitude of topics, from the effects of natural settings on stress reduction to the impacts of architectural designs and layouts, and, overall, how the environment affects society. This allows for a deeper understanding of how surroundings influence one’s mental, physical, and emotional well-being and behavior.   

Within the realm of environmental psychology, the term biophilia is often used. Biophilia, according to an article by the Planteria Group, refers to the instinctive human tendency to connect with and have an affinity for nature. It expresses the idea that humans have an inherent and intuitive attraction to nature and living things. Biophilia suggests people feel a deep sense of wellness, comfort and fulfillment when they are in natural environments or have connections with elements of nature, such as plants, animals and water. The concept of Biophilia contributes to various fields like psychology, architecture and environmental design. It proposes that implementing elements of nature into environments, such as green spaces, natural lighting and sustainable design, can positively impact people’s mental and physical health, productivity and overall quality of life.   

Before environmental psychology was oriented on sustainability, the original idea was to focus on making a pleasant and safe environment for people, says environmental psychologist Dr. Tom Greene. Retired professor Dr. Greene taught here at St. Lawrence University for a total of 44 years. Environmental psychology is partially based on human factors. Most people will associate environmental psychology with outdoor, nature-based environments. But it doesn’t have to be that for methods to be put in place. Back in the day, a lot of the doors around SLU had no signs of whether it was a pull or a push. The doors looked the same on both sides too. Dr. Greene remarked that this irritated many people as they’d pull and then push until it opened. Putting up signs or changing the handles on the doors made the environment more pleasant for everyone passing through. Another great example of taking advantage of environmental psychology was the installation of the sitting stones on the hill outside of the Student Center. The rocks there give people a natural chair to sit on, enjoy the outdoors, and process Biophilia around the trees and on the grass.  

All this information doesn’t do any good unless it is put into practice. It’s important for people to integrate simple methods of incorporating more interaction with Biophilia in their lives and spending time in pleasant environments. Because our environment can greatly impact our well-being, students and faculty must protect it and improve it where possible.