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It was the first such study to test the psychophysiological stress recovery theory using a number of objective physiological indicators (and affective state to be discussed in the following Affect section). Using muscle tension, skin conductance, and pulse transit time which correlates with systolic blood pressure, it was found that “…recovery from stress was much faster and more complete when subjects were exposed to the natural settings…” as opposed to urban settings
This study was the first to test stress recovery using physical measurements like muscle tension, skin conductance, and blood pressure. It found that people recovered from stress faster and more completely in natural settings compared to urban environments.
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What most often comes to the fore as the empirical basis for why GI is good for mental health is the many decades of environmental psychology and environment-behavior research examining the mentally restorative potential of exposure to the natural environment and elements of nature.
Research shows that exposure to nature is good for mental health, supported by many years of studies in environmental psychology. These studies highlight how time in natural environments helps restore mental well-being.
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Contributing to the urban heat island is the relative lack of greenspace (and water features) in cities [91,92,103]. Greenspace can prevent the absorption of radiation by surfaces and the release of pollutants as well as cool the air through evapotranspiration.
Cities get hotter due to a lack of green spaces and water features. Green areas help by stopping surfaces from absorbing heat, reducing pollution, and cooling the air through evaporation from plants.
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The ability of GI to sequester carbon will aid in mitigating the threats from impending climate change, but change is already underway, and adaptation is therefore a necessary complement to mitigation.
Ecosystems can help slow down climate change by storing carbon, but climate change is already happening. So, while we work to prevent more damage, we also need to adjust to the changes that are already here.
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As the diversity of life on earth is diminished through the loss of GI, so too is the source of many pharmaceuticals currently in use and the unmeasured potential of yet undiscovered medicines from terrestrial and marine plants, animals, and microbes.
The loss of biodiversity takes away important sources for many current medicines and reduces the chances of finding new drugs from plants, animals, and microbes. As species disappear, we lose potential cures for diseases, limiting future medical discoveries.
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