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What is a Green Space?
What is a Green Space?
Green spaces have been defined as "land that is partly or completely covered with grass, trees, shrubs, or other vegetation," (1), and can include, but are not limited to parks, cemeteries, and community gardens.
Why are they important?
Why are they important?
Green Spaces have been shown to greatly improve mental and physical health
Calming, relaxing, serene. Many people seek out nature for these qualities, but did you know there can be actual health benefits? There have been positive associations studied between time in contact with nature and reduced stress, more physical activity (even subconsciously, you may not even notice!), stronger immune function, and generally increases exposure to sunlight, which has it's own set of benefits. (Of course every rose has it's thorn, and there are potential negative impacts, such as allergies and insect bites, but as long as you're aware of your surroundings, you should be able to prevent most issues.)
Children's education and engagement
Studies have shown that exposure to green spaces have been beneficial for children, and can increase creativity and imagination, and even improve academic performance.
Ecological benefits
Green spaces have many ecological benefits as well, including sequestering carbon (which reduces green house gas in the atmosphere and can slow climate change), reduces flooding during heavy rains, reduces temperatures in urban islands and lessens air pollution, and can even reduce noise pollution!
How Can I Help?
How Can I Help?
House plants!
A green space doesn't have to be big! The succulent on your desk, pothos on your coffee table or hanging basket on your porch all qualify as green spaces and can make a difference! There are so many ways to incorporate plants into every lifestyle, and plants of varying neediness for every skill level! Don't be scared, any greenery can make a difference, even with a bit of air pollution in your home!
Reducing Fertilizer Use
I know, I know, it's the American Dream to have a perfect, luscious green lawn every summer, but did you know overfertilizing your grass can be bad for the environment? Between fertilizer runoff to excess nutrients, over fertilizing can be detrimental toy your surrounding ecosystem. So next time, stick to the proper dose or even skip a round!
Planting pollinator gardens!
This option is my personal favorite, and there are countless ways to personalize your gardens. Native plants are much more capable of surviving the weather patterns of your area, and have evolved survival strategies non-native plants just can't keep up with. Native plants are also more attractive to local pollinators!
For the Midwest, some of my favorites are:
Echinacea (cone flowers)
Wild Geranium
Milkweed
Checkout the Xerces Society for an amazing compilation and more planting tips! (https://xerces.org/publications/plant-lists/pollinator-plants-midwest-region)
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