Act on Your Gratitude

This week we are reminded to express gratitude for the abundance of friends, family, and food we may take for granted. Last week we discussed the benefits of mindfulness in green spaces and the personal outcomes that experience provides.

What about the role urban green spaces play in bringing your friends and family together? Providing places for respite, recreation, and community connection, urban green spaces have the potential to improve individual and community well-being and wellness in multiple ways. In addition to physical environment benefits, participating in urban greening programs (e.g. planting a tree) is associated with community empowerment and social cohesion.1

Green spaces explicitly designed to support family and community activities fosters healthy and sustainable communities. Park preference research suggests large shaded picnic areas, play equipment, water features, sanitary facilities and open-air vendors or cafes increase attractiveness of parks for users who value community over individual uses.2 In addition, culturally significant gardens and planting strengthen a sense of community and tradition for minority or new Americans.3

Take a walk though the neighborhood. Credit: janet lackey
Take a walk though your neighborhood. Credit: janet lackey

There are several ways you can engage with your community this week. Opt to get outside (and out of your food coma) and breathe the crisp air, run a 5k, or enjoy the beauty of nature:

Hold a holiday or family celebration outdoors. Richard Louv gives us multiple examples of how to spend more time outdoors all year long. His idea of creating new family traditions resonates with us: “Bring your next birthday, anniversary, or family reunion into nature — whether it’s an urban neighborhood park or a mountain stream.”

Join REI’s Black Friday #OptOutside Campaign.  REI is closing for business on Black Friday and asking everyone to join them in opting outside. If online discussion about Black Friday is any indication, many plan to get outside and avoid shopping all together.  Several cities and organizations will waive entry and parking fees this Thanksgiving weekend. California State Parks offers free admission this Friday to over 20 parks where visitors can experience the majesty of Redwoods. Several of these sites are in the San Francisco bay area or near other metropolitan districts.

A winter walk can be more pleasant than you think. Credit: Thomas Hawk
A winter walk can be more pleasant than you think. Credit: Thomas Hawk
Work off the Thanksgiving meal. Rather than sitting and watching football (while your body struggles to digest) take a walk with your loved ones for an after dinner stroll. Or, invite friends and family for a pre-feast walk or run though an urban park. Join a growing number of 5k “Turkey Trots”on Thanksgiving morning, with variations such as costume requirements or food donations. In Seattle, the Turkey Trot ends in a water-front city park.  Minneapolis Parks and Recreation suggests taking a Thanksgiving stroll through any of its 97 city park walking paths.  New York City parks offers several Forest Ranger led hikes the Friday morning after Thanksgiving.
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1 Westphal, L.M. 2003. Urban greening and social benefits: A study of empowerment outcomes. Journal of Arboriculture 29, 3: 137-147.
2 Stodolska, M., K.J. Shinew, J.C. Acevedo, and D. Izenstark. 2011. Perceptions of urban parks as havens and contested terrains by Mexican-Americans in Chicago neighborhoods. Leisure Sciences 33, 2: 103-126.
3 Johnston, M., and L.D. Shimada. 2004. Urban forestry in a multicultural society. Journal of Arboriculture 30, 3: 185-192.