The term “tree hugger” has been applied to people viewed as uber-liberal or too idealistic, however… “it has been recently scientifically validated that hugging trees is actually good for you.” Research has shown that you don’t even have to touch a tree to get better, you just need to be within its vicinity has a […]
There have been studies that have found a correlation between nature and calming, relaxation, and an ability to concentrate. But is this effect quantifiable? And how much of an impact is there? A lot, according to a new study in Psychological Science. The researchers estimate that green urban areas provide a life satisfaction boost roughly […]
Happy Earth Day! In honor of celebrating the best, prettiest, largest playful space out there – Earth – some beautiful photos showing off the planet in all its natural glory. Sebastião Salgado, one of the world’s most admired photojournalists, has spent a lifetime relentlessly training his eye on human degradation and suffering. His photographs, though […]
Reblogged from The Dirt: What many landscape architects and designers know intuitively is increasingly becoming proven scientifically. In fact, more and more exciting research appears showing the cognitive and mental health benefits of being out in nature — in places like parks, or even just meandering down leafy streets. According to The New York Times, […]
Reblogged from The Dirt: On a modest site downtown, Lafayette Greens yields a good deal more than just food. By Linda McIntyre Detroit is having quite a moment in the media at a time of renewed interest in the trials and tribulations of cities, but it’s still kind of surprising to find a small, trapezoid-shaped […]
Reblogged from The Dirt: Riitta Ikonen and Karoline Hjforth’s series of photographs of elderly people from around the world — called Eyes as Big as Plates — is like nothing we’ve ever seen. The two artists find senior citizens with “marked connection to their natural and cultural roots,” creating totally individualized costumes for them to […]
Reblogged from The Dirt: Last year in Philadelphia, Amtrak started tearing things up as part of new work on the west plaza of their 30th street station, replacing the underground parking garage roof. The only problem was it was right next to a new public space called the Porch, which had been created by the […]
Reblogged from The Dirt: “It took me two years to find the stones for this project,” says Dennis Bracale, a landscape architect based on Mount Desert Island, Maine, while giving a lecture at his alma mater, the University of Virginia. Image after image showcased Bracale’s work on private gardens. The talk showed the audience the […]
Happy Spring Forward. Time to start planting seeds and playing in the dirt. In honor of getting dirty and creative, here’s a a TED talk from Ron Finley, guerrilla gardener. Ron Finley plants vegetable gardens in South Central LA — in abandoned lots, traffic medians, along the curbs. Why? For fun, for defiance, for beauty […]
This is amazing! The endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales visited Vashon and Maury Islands on December 3, 2012, searching for salmon. As they passed Point Robinson, they burst into playful antics that have to be seen to be believed: cartwheels, breaches, tail slaps, spyhops, and beautiful synchronized swimming in their tightly knit family groups. Related […]
