DC Could Be a Garden City, With Healing Effects

Image via Greater Greater Washington

Urban areas across the United States, including Washington, DC, are facing a convergence of crises: climate change, a national mental health emergency, and a growing epidemic of loneliness. While these issues may seem separate, they’re deeply interconnected—and they may share a surprisingly simple solution: how we design our public spaces.

A growing body of research confirms what many instinctively feel—nature heals. A 2015 Stanford study led by Gregory Bratman found that walking in natural environments reduces activity in parts of the brain associated with depression. Research from the University of Exeter shows that people living near green spaces report lower anxiety and higher life satisfaction. Around the world—from Singapore to Paris—cities are embedding nature into their urban fabric with transformative results: cooler streets, stronger communities, and more livable neighborhoods.

DC has the potential to be like one of those cities. In fact, it was designed to be.