Nature Is The Least Important

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Nature has been part of man since time immemorial. The idea that we are separate from nature is only relatively recent. Nature is an important constitute of the human environment. This paper highlights the different definitions of nature. It will also depict the degree of association over the different evolutionary periods focusing mainly on the technological era. It will show the effects of the different degrees of connection over time considering the major demographics.

Nature has been defined as an organic environment where the majority of ecosystem processes are present (e.g. birth, death, reproduction and relationship between species) (Maller et al, 2006: p 46) ac cited by (Townsend and Weerasuriya , 2010). The same literature refers to nature as, any single element of the natural environment (such as plants, animals, soil water or air) and includes domestic companion animals as well as cultivated pot plants. Nature can also refer collectively to the geological evolutionary, biophysical and biochemical processes that occurred throughout time to create the Earth as it is today.

Nature has also been divided into different categories as cited by ( Townsend and Weerasuriya, 2010) ; urban nature: nature in urban settings (e.g. gardens, parks, leisure parks), agricultural nature: a primarily agricultural landscape with small, set aside patches of nature, natural forests: nature in woodland where management is geared towards more authentic vegetation, wild nature: nature in an environment that develops spontaneously and can be maintained with minimal management (natural rivers, marshy, woodland ). Contact with nature is also divided into three different levels (Pretty, 2004; Stone, 2006 ) as cited by Townsend and Weerasuriya, 2010); viewing nature: (such as through a window, book painting or television), being in the presence of nearby nature: such as walking, cycling to work, reading in the garden or talking to friends in the park and finally, active participation in nature such as gardening, farming, trekking, running, horse riding, hedge laying and forestry.

As previously mentioned, man and nature has always had a deep connection. The affinity of humans for nature is best explained by (Pretty, 2009). He argues that evolution is the reason why we have such a strong connection to nature and wildlife. "Hominids emerged some 5 million years ago. Our genus, about 2.5 million years ago, our species about 160,000 years ago, so we have been shaped across something like 300 000 generations to arrive where we are today". Another author (Mitten, 2009), explains that the deep connection with nature can be traced from the Shamans in the reindeer age, beginning 40,000 years ago. Their medicine wheel was about coming back into balance and harmony with natural cycles and rhythms.

The idea that man and nature are separate entities is fairly recent. (Cohen and Kennedy, 2002) trace the emergence of modernity back to the 17th century. This is known as the enlightment era. This era was marked by innovations and discoveries in the world of science. The likes of Immanuel Kant and Isaac Newton were the pioneers in this field. It is also in this era that a shift in paradigm occurred. Man discovered that he can manipulate nature thus already making one entity superior to the other. Indeed it is the era where environmental manipulation and degradation started.

The marginalization of nature continued further with increase in innovations and technologies. The Industrial era saw tremendous innovations and the use of exemplary machines in different fields such as agriculture and manufacture. In this era civilization and urbanization became a necessity. According to (Orland n.d) many people in this era relied on manufacturing goods as a source of livelihood in an industrial society. In this era, some individuals literally had little or no contact with either nature or agricultural ecosystems.

The indigenous peoples are a group of people who maintain their cultural practices. These people are referred to as a "primitive people" by capitalist societies (Maybury, 2002). A fundamental aspect to their culture is nature. Nature and these peoples are one. Regardless of which continents they come from, they all share one commonality, respect for nature. According to (Gottleib 1996; Wilbber 2000 cited in Orland n.d), such people view themselves as inseparable from the natural ecosystems and wildlife around them. This is perhaps the reason why the few areas that are still rich in biodiversity happen to be indigenous peoples lands. They are the last standing people who have not been influenced by globalization.

Indeed urbanization has spread at an alarming rate since the start of modernity in the 17th century. According to (Pretty, 2009), ‘a century ago only a tenth of the world’s population lived in cities. By 2010, more than half 3.5 billion will be city dwellers." This paradigm shift has brought in its wake a change in the human social lifestyle. Orland (n.d) cites the work of Craib (1997:20), who is keen to point out that the industrial revolution brought about a new age of individualism.

Currently we are at the epitome of modernity, the cities are larger than ever, as ( Frumkin, 2001) puts it, it is a new era with less "green" and more grey concrete buildings. Social lifestyles have changed tremendously. Technologies in this current era seem unstoppable. Globalization has spread its tentacles to every corner of the world with an exception of the Indigenous peoples who are fighting vehemently to keep their cultural practices. These practices as already established have deep roots in nature. The rest of the civilized world however, views nature as a resource. Hence, it is no wonder that in this era, environmental degradation is at its peak. Climate change seems to be increasing by the day. Human lives have been transformed all together.

The new modern age has experienced technological revolution that has caused a tremendous change in humanity. Humans are able to live lifetimes rarely having encountered with nature (Mitten, 2009). Lack of contact or reduced access to nature has significantly decreased with time. Priorities have changed in this era. Family time and interaction with fellow man is the least important concern of individuals living in this era. This two aspects usually work best in nature. However, with the strains of globalization and a need to succeed and feed ones family, nature is not top of the list. The less in society struggle to feed their families. There is no room in nature for them

With civilization came disparities in wealth. Suddenly economic class came about. A major consequence of economic class is crime. Crime consequently leads to citizens living in fear. Fear of the outside where all these things take place. The media is not short of pointing out that the high risk areas are parks and forests. Is it a wonder therefore that no one visits these areas anymore? An evening stroll is simply out of the question. As (Mitten, 2009) puts it "in the movies, newspapers and aggrandized personal stories, nature is often portrayed as the bad guy or evil and these stories contribute to a growing biophic attitude.

Another key aspect of the new modern age is the increasingly sophisticated technological innovations. Indeed these innovations have helped in essential fields such as medicine, however, it has also led to sedentary lifestyles. Energy saving appliances such as remotes and "dial a fast food" has made this generation a lazy generation. The idea of walking to the market to buy healthy food simply looks like a major uphill task. (Weiler and Stamatakis, 2010 ) argue that humans are designed to move and not stand still. They further argue that millions of years of hunting, farming and intense manual labour have shaped our bodies to their current form. However, suddenly we are now in an era where technology does it all for us. Statistics show that in the UK, a shocking 95% are not doing the minimum recommended amount of physical activity to confer even basic health benefits (Weiler and Stamatakis,2010). This sedentary lifestyle has brought about lifestyle diseases such as obesity and diabetes both in adults and children. Ironically, this era is also home to overworked individuals straining to feed their families. The recent inflation has only made matters worse. A typical family in the U.S.A has both parents working two jobs. Time for a walk in the park or simply an adventure in the nearby forests is simply out of the question. Targets at work have to be met or else one looses their job. What type of transport system do this individuals use to get to work? The fastest way, possible Local authorities ensure that they can get people to work as fast as possible hence, the underground train. This fast way is short of any scenic view. It is charecterised by a dark tunnel with monotonous stops. The irony is, the people who use these trains are the most stressed individuals of this century. Perhaps, a simple view through the window of greenery would improve their mental health wellbeing. According to (Townsend andWeersaruyia,2009) a simple view through a window, book painting or on television can make a difference. The same individual using the depressing transport system works in an environment characterized by windowless cramped offices. Lunch breaks are taken in the office contrary to previous years where one would stroll to the nearby park. Literature by (Mitten, 2009) states that many aspects of our culture now teach us to spend less time with nature. It is no wonder, the now infamous term in the workplace "the corner office" is a motivation at work. These offices have massive windows with a view of the parks.

Children have not been left behind either. With parents working extra hours to make ends meet, their lifestyles have been reduced to watching television as a distraction and strict reading schedules to ensure success in school. The constant fear of the outside world has put shackles on children in this generation. Playing outside is simply out of the question. Perhaps they are the worst hit demographic. Depriving children of nature can be pernicious. Relationship with nature is a fundamental part of a child’s development (Bird, 2007). The urban setting has trapped children in built environments thus depriving the self discovery and experience in the natural world. Deprivation of access to nature has led to sedentary children suffering from a number of lifestyle diseases such as obesity and diabetes at such early stages of their lives. According to (Bird, 2007) the lack of access can be attributed to; parental fear of traffic, bullying, stranger danger, loss of natural spaces to play and finally perception of what is best for children. The benefits of nature on physical and mental well being play a major role in children’ development. Studies show that in the UK, obesity in 10 year olds has increased from 10%to 16%. In addition, mental health ‘disorders affect 10% of 10-16 year olds. (Pretty et al, 2009). It is clear that parents reasons for making their children devoid of the natural experience is causing dire health effects to contemporary children. Richard Louv, famous for coining the term Nature deficit disorder in his book Last Child in the Woods. He describes children who for them summer camp is weight loss camp or computer camp. He phrases that nature has become an abstraction rather than reality. However in the U.K and in the U.S.A, all hope is not lost. Thanks to new research in the field of nature and human beings, more attention is being forwarded in this area of study..Natural England in the U.K and Nature Network in the U.S.A are keen to alleviate this problem through programs that encourage access to nature. These programs such as greenspace, and care farming have shown tremendous improvements in children (Hine, 2008)

All the above issues have led to dire consequences on this generation, physical and mental health issues."Mental ill health severely affects quality of life and is a leading cause of disability. Anxiety and depression are common place in modern society and by 2020, it is predicted that depression will be the second most common cause of disability in the developed world". (Hine et al, 2007).Why the robust number of cases on mental and physical well being? As established before, man and nature are interlinked. However, this relationship is on a tight string currently. Research suggests that less or little contact with nature might be the root cause to these increased cases. Whilst research links nature with mental and physical health, our economic and planning system lags far behind (Pretty, 2009).

The World Health Organization defines health as " a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity" (WHO,1948). From this definition, we can deduce that the current generation is an unhealthy one.( Bittman, 2011) is points out that lifestyle diseases such as; heart disease, some types of cancer, diabetes amongst others are the leading killer diseases in the U.S.A compared to communicable diseases. The American Heart Foundation stated that cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of deaths in the U.S.A will triple by the year 2030. Research has shown that a reduced interaction with nature consequently affects mental and physical well-being of an individual. (Pretty,2009) explains that, "our modern disconnections reduce our knowledge of nature that would have a positive effect on our health. In short, estrangement from and natural places and living things is making us unhappy. Why are we unhappy? There are several theories that address this issue. First is the Indigenous Consciousness. This consciousness includes spirituality, responsibility, reciprocity, the earth, animals and many other facets (Martinez, (2008) cited Mitten (2009). The Indigenous peoples of today still have this consciousness with them but "civilized people" have lost it during the different phases of industrial and technological revolution. E.O Wilson, came up with a hypothesis known as the biophilic hypothesis. He asserts that, biophilia is the connection that human beings subconsciously seek with the rest of life. This might explain why marginalizing nature has created a state of mind that is strained thus leading to conditions such as stress and depression both of which are part of mental well being.

Indeed the degree of urbanization varies from country to country. It is also dependant on age, socio economic status and ethnical and cultural backgrounds. In the U.S.A, population explosion has made urban planning difficult. There is less access to nature. Land is cleared for the sole purpose of creating public housing. In Chicago, public housing areas are charecterised by highrise building that show monotony of structure. These areas are also known for their high criminal rates. Empty spaces and urban parks have been neglected in these neighbourhoods because they are identified as crime infested areas. This belief that vegetation harbours crime perpetrators dates back as early as 1285, when King Edward I sought to reduce highway robbery by forcing property owners to clear trees and hedges Plunket, (1960) cited in Kuo, (2001). According to (Kuo,2001), a variety of evidence links dense vegetation with fear; fear of crime and crime possibilities. However, recent research in inner city neighbourhoods showed that vegetation in these neighbourhoods actually reduced the rate of crime. The study showed that buildings with lower levels of vegetation had 52% fewer total crimes than buildings with low levels of vegetation.(Kuo, 2011). The study concluded that the high levels of vegetation had reduced levels of aggression. This is a clear indication that access to nature is key for mental well-being.

In Kenya, a developing country, urbanization is spreading at an alarming rate. Green areas are being cleared for housing and development. The national parks are being encroached due to population explosion. In the urban areas, the socio economic status plays a major role in influencing access to nature. In a slum like Kibera, children do not have the time nor access to nature because they live in constrained environments. Nature is of little concern to their parents and the children themselves. Their main concern is the next meal and finding a job for the day. Indeed this lack of access to nature might be the root cause of crime incidences in the area. As research by (Kuo, 2011) deduced, access to nature reduces crime rate because it causes a destruction and acts as a vent for frustrations. However, on the other side of the city, in the leafy suburbs of Nairobi, children from well to do families are engrossed in their books with little time to play outside in the garden. They also live sedentary lives concentrating on video games and television. Their parents on the other hand do not have time to encourage their children to play because they are busy working. It is clear that despite the two different socio economic status of these children, the two groups have both been deprived of access to nature. However, three generations ago, this was not the case. Children from affluent families used to visit the countryside every school holiday. This enabled them to access nature like forests, and nature discovery took place in the process. However, the current generation is deprived of this, causing environmental generational amnesia. Nobel Peace Prize holder Waangari Maathai perhaps saw the importance of green space and hence fought political pressures to preserve the largest park in Nairobi, Uhuru Park. The then Government had planned to acquire this large green space and build the headquarters of the leading party KANU. However her petitions succeeded and now Uhuru Park is a source of solace for the poor who cannot access green space in their neighbourhoods. As (Warah, 2011) puts it ….. but for ordinary Kenyans, particularly those families, lovers, weary factory workers, hawkers and lonely souls, who have escaped to the beauty and tranquility of Uhuru Park, she remains a hero. This clearly depicts that green space is a place for tranquility and social connections that is slowly being strained in this current era of modernity.

It clear that through the ages, that we have slowly deprived ourselves from nature with the selfish aim of individualistic gain. The root cause of this is civilization coupled with globalization. Urbanization has rendered nature a hindrance and thus its abolishment is the only way to achieve urbanization. According to (Mitten, 2009), in 1900, 40%of the U.S households lived in farms. By 1990, only 1.9% of households lived in farms. This urbanization has changed peoples relationship with nature. The school of Ecophilosophy asserts that the lack of sacredness in nature and the material world helped fuel environmental degradation that accompanies this form of society. Wilber (1996) cited in Orlando (n.d). This paper has clearly shown that without nature there is a strain in both physical and mental well being of human beings. Technological innovations have brought up sedentary lifestyles that have consequently led to lifestyle diseases. These diseases sadly are affecting children as young as 10 years old. Every year Governments especially in the developed societies spend trillions of dollars treating these diseases. However, with the recent interest in research in these fields, there seems to be an interest by both governments and populations as a whole on the importance of nature in the treatments and prevention of these conditions. This means that less will be spent on medical expenditure at the same time bringing back ecological knowledge that the human race is craving. The field of environmental design has also not been left behind. The famous American architect and conservationist, Fredrick Law Olmstead had a visionary when he designed Central Park in Manhattan. He acknowledged that humans need access to nature and a place of Solace from the hustle and bustle of city life.

In the case of developing countries, using developed countries, they can use them as a baseline and plan their urban areas with these new guidelines. Education programmes should include nature appreciation fieldwork courses. The media should promote the beauty of untapped rural areas and encourage children to visit these areas all over again. Policy makers should ensure that nature is acknowledged as an important aspect of human life.

Research clearly shows that nature can counteract the effects of modernity, how about we as Human beings begin to acknowledge this fact as well. Promotion of nature is the key. Not only will it improve our health it will ensure environmental degradation will be at the minimum. This consequently means that future generations will enjoy the beauty of nature as well.

Thousands of tired, nerve shaken, over civilized people are beginning to find out that going back to the mountains, parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life (John Muir, 1901).