2/24/26 Entry #2- Assigned Reading

 Emily J. Flies, Chris Skelly, Sagri Singh Negi, Poornima Prabhakaran, Qiyong Liu, Keke Liu, Fiona C Goldizen, Chris Lease, and Philip Weinstein, “Biodiverse Green Spaces: A Prescription for Global Urban Health,” Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 15, no. 9 (2017): 510–16


The article establishes a link between increased urbanization of the global population and a corresponding rise in immunological diseases. I found the article to be thought provoking and hopeful. I particularly enjoyed the call to action for science professionals and governmental leaders to organize a system of reporting, tracking, and education to determine the exact mechanisms of microbe diversity on human health. I think being able to clearly understand how exposure to nature can improve our health would help to sway those who avoid the outdoors. I’ve enjoyed walks in the woods since I was a kid, long before I knew the term mental health or exposure therapy. I always found nature to be interesting and humbling. It was always a great way to shrug off boredom and satisfy even a small sense of adventure. I think if the mechanisms can be explained it will help others to understand how important nature is to living a fulfilled life. 

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