Solarpunk discussion

For centuries, poets and philosophers extolled the benefits of a walk in the woods: Beethoven drew inspiration from rocks and trees; Wordsworth composed while tromping over the heath; and Nikola Tesla conceived the electric motor while visiting a park. Intrigued by our storied renewal in the natural world, Florence Williams set out to uncover the science behind nature’s positive effects on the brain.

Just started! I love it when we take these nonfiction, solarpunk-in-action, breaks.

Lena wrote: "Just started! I love it when we take these nonfiction, solarpunk-in-action, breaks."

I've just downloaded it as well - and same. You know the phrase about "look for the helpers"? It's kind of like not just looking for them, but reading their books. And so far this looks like a good one!

Finished the introduction - sounds like the author has attempted to take as holistic a view as possible in her research, which I'm always a fan of (holistic in the whole-picture sense, rather than the alternative medicine sense). What she hasn't touched on yet, which I hope she does, is the cause of our disconnection from nature - migration to larger cities moved by rural towns dying from a lack of work, longer work hours causing people to be too tired to get out of the city for a weekend, etc.

It does seem like it won't just be a look at the mood effects, but also of the actual physical/chemical reactions of our brains, which is always exciting - neuroscience is flipping fascinating. And I had no idea that natural light played a part in "tuning" our eyesight!

This book as a helper, that’s a nice way to put it.

One minute of forest therapy: https://youtu.be/CcZkvXYevU8

Lena wrote: "One minute of forest therapy: https://youtu.be/CcZkvXYevU8"

Well that was wonderful, thank you! The sound of the bamboo forest took me by surprise - I'd never stopped to think they'd sound like that.

I guess it’s the wind, they are so tightly packed...

I’m at the part where Korea is building/planting/opening more forest therapy parks than Japan. But it was disappointing to read that most of the Americans research is focused on faking it with computers. Wood Allen was quoted, jerk.

I did some urban forest bathing this morning with the dogs on the Riverwalk. It does feel good to get out there.

Lena wrote: "
I did some urban forest bathing this morning with the dogs on the Riverwalk. It does feel good to get out there."

That's gorgeous, Lena! And it looks like you had it all to yourself, other than the dogs of course :)

- It's interesting that the Japanese forest bathing takes place on specifically crafted trails; it seems to work, given the blood pressure drop after just one walk, but it's a little bit sad that it'll reduce the natural forest and trails.

- John Muir's quote, "I am degenerating into a machine for making money"; oof, I'm feeling that one a bit at the moment.

- The default network info was pretty fascinating - I'll assume that's similar (if less extreme) to the state that occurs just before sleep, when I get all my best creative ideas (and promptly forget them).

- Leaving off just as part two is coming up - and they're looking into Korea; which is nicely coincidental with a trip my sister took pre-COVID. She's a journalist who was asked to look into the inner city spa and relaxation services that are aimed at similar experiences with nature. It's a good job from time to time!

The Asian countries that are breaking from overwork are the ones taking forest therapy seriously.

Lena wrote: "The Asian countries that are breaking from overwork are the ones taking forest therapy seriously."

I've got pretty mixed feelings about how they're tackling it - there's no denial of any issues. But on the other hand - they're not tackling the real cause (being the overwork), just how that can be offset. If the long term goal is a culture shift with mitigation until that happens, great. If it's just a case of "how can we work people like that without them breaking because we'd rather they kept working?" - less great.

That’s a good point. Many studies just use it to point out a rise in productivity.

Absolutely, and a lot of the studies are commissioned by employers, who obviously have a vested interest in "making the assets sweat" - getting the most of their employees.

I’m about halfway through and there’s more of health benefits being ignored vs economic ones. Lots of trying to manufacture or duplicate nature when you can just go outside. There is even a distressing part about how Fins are getting stressed. Fins, the friendly nature loving socialists we all look up to, are spending more time in front of the screen and are worse for it. As I was having a long argument with iCal at the time I understood. I’ve deleted the thing, as much as anything cloudy can be deleted, because it was not easier that my pen set and paper kitchen calendar.

Lena wrote: "I’m about halfway through and there’s more of health benefits being ignored vs economic ones. Lots of trying to manufacture or duplicate nature when you can just go outside. There is even a distres..."

I'm the same with calenders and notebooks - I just can't translate them to the digital versions, it seems - unless I need a reminder, in which case I'll set an alarm on my phone.

I'm at a similar point, and I think you've nailed it with "Lots of trying to manufacture or duplicate nature when you can just go outside. " - it feels like treating the symptoms of issues that are caused by a lack of nature, rather than addressing the root causes (lack of time, populations migrating to urban rather than rural or even suburban settings, fewer people with the means to take vacations etc). It's feeling more and more like a culture shift is required, which is a notoriously difficult thing to do - though this was written pre-COVID, and I feel like that has initiated some movement at least. Is it similar where you are Lena, or have you noticed a similar thing?

I think people are appreciating home and close to home more now. I watched a Sam Chui video that left my head spinning, the big planes are being retired and so is first class: https://youtu.be/qnxq0L8tckk
A world where travel, far travel at least, is a necessity not a luxury (not for fun).

I admittingly don't read much non-fiction but it sounds intriguing will let you know when I get my hands on the book!

Great!

Christina wrote: "I admittingly don't read much non-fiction but it sounds intriguing will let you know when I get my hands on the book!"

Lovely to have you here, Christine :)

Some bulletpoints from my progress today:

- A walking chapter; I'm never telling my father about this book, he'll crow over this chapter in particular. He's a big believer in frequent walks, and looks like science backs him up.

- There's a couple of times now where it's been mentioned that deliberately seeking relaxation and the pressure to produce results is interfering with the very effect that they're trying to measure. I think the other time it was that she was busy because of the tight schedule of all the relaxation places to visit? It's good that they have other data to measure the efficacy of the various experiences, but it would have been great if she'd been able to experience it first hand.

- Oof, the backgrounds of the veterans group was tough going; those women have truly seen some shit. If anyone has further interest in PTSD I would highly recommend The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma - it's absolutely fantastic. This intersection of nature and healing was particularly affecting and I took a break here.

And back into it. That chapter was tough - it really felt like Florence Williams connected more with that experience than with many of the others.

The last chapter in that section, around schooling, touches on a subject I'm really passionate about. Standardised schooling, with it's bells and repetition and completely inability to adapt to other styles of learning, results in so many children being labeled as troubled, attention deficit, or as having a learning disability. Why no-one has truly tackled this on a larger scale is beyond me (probably the money) but it ticks me right off. People with dyslexia (or one of it's often accompanying siblings like dysgraphia or dyscalculia) are frequently incredibly smart and yet that intellect can be completely beaten out of them by teachers that just don't care because they don't know how to access it.

...that was a pretty massive segue which can probably be summed up as, this chapter brought up some good points about alternative schooling.

I had not realised I was so close to finishing - the next section was the last, dealt mostly with urbanised, reproduced, overly neat attempts at bringing nature into cities, and then was done! And so was the book.

Thanks for another month of excellent discussion, Lena, I think at the end of the day this book is a really good starting point, and a great way to get people interested in helping nature; even if it does have to be because they see how it's good for people, rather than for it's own sake. Selfishness can be a good motivator! And there were some really interesting chunks of information in here.

I’m about an hour away from finishing.
I love this book: Nature is gorgeous, Nature is amazing, Nature is wise. Nature can make us gorgeous, amazing, and wise.
I hate this book: That is beautiful woman. I feel great just looking at that beautiful woman. How quickly can we make her a whore? HD pics of her on an app, virtual in-depth pay-per-view experiences...

Ok, finished. I would have found it a stronger message if the author had found it a stronger message. But the book doesn’t end with her deciding to move back to Colorado for the benefit of her children. Nope, she doesn’t find anything she has researched compelling enough to make that life change. At the end of the book she’s still living deep in the asphalt by the airport.