Today’s Solutions: November 21, 2024

We frequently discuss the link between nature and mental health on The Optimist Daily. Another study has emerged solidifying this positive relationship. A study from a team of European researchers has found that more trees planted in a city correlates with fewer antidepressant prescriptions. 

To establish this connection, researchers analyzed 10,000 residents in a German town and compared the presence of trees to the number of antidepressant prescriptions prescribed to residents. They found that those who had trees within a 100-meter radius of their home were less likely to be prescribed antidepressants. 

The researchers found that this connection was particularly potent for marginalized communities with lower socioeconomic statuses. These groups are already more at risk for depression, but this research shows that something as simple as green space can make a big difference. 

Trees and green space improve air quality, reduce stress, and encourage physical mobility and time outdoors. This research further supports the assertion that adding more trees and green space to urban areas is a  cost-effective and influential public health measure. Not to mention it’s good for the planet as well.

Solutions News Source Print this article
More of Today's Solutions

Changemakers of the week: GRuB and SparkNJ

Every day on the Optimist Daily, we report on solutions from around the world. Though we love solutions big and small, the ones that ...

Read More

The giant beneath the waves: world’s largest coral found in the Pacific

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a world where bad news about the environment routinely outweighs good news, scientists have discovered an incredible ...

Read More

Tortoise discovered in a home in Pompeii

Almost 2000 years after the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius and its trapping of the city of Pompeii in time, archaeologists are still making discoveries ...

Read More

Revel at the most detailed image of our universe yet

Here at The Optimist Daily, we have been sharing every exciting step of the James Webb Telescope’s journey, from its long-awaited launch, to when ...

Read More