Green is Better

                                                                     

by Andrea Serrano (undergraduate FIGRI student)

Probably nobody thinks about the importance of green in our lives.  Don’t worry, this isn't another article about global warming, this is an invitation for you to stop your routine for just one moment and reflect about everything that nature gives us.  I don´t believe in magic or superstitions but it’s true that sometimes we need to recharge our energy to continue with normal activities as students, and for this reason I believe green is better.

For example, in foreign cultures where feng shui is used, people live in a good way. The population believes the green color has a strong relation with nature and harmony. Both humans and animals have different behavioral and social performance when they change their habitat, and therefore eastern countries prepare their architects to understand how they integrate construction with the environment without damaging it. Now these kinds of studies are so important because creating friendly spaces is possible.

In academic places where a lot of plants and flowers grow, students can develop their cognitive functioning better and therefore they have better performance. If you want to maintain a good balance in your life, especially if your city is stressful (like Bogota), you must look for a way to have spaces to relax. The proposal is to improve your mental and physical health.

Lots of scientific studies suggest that visiting gardens, forests and green areas helps people to be more generous and trust a little more in their communities.  Also, they have demonstrated that the environment around inhabitants influences behavior, self-control, discipline and irritability. People who do not have contact with parks, gardens or natural reserves are likely not to be able to manage their emotions.

Finally, violence and crime  levels increase in the absence of green areas. Where cities do not have green areas, children suffer from obesity while adults have more cardiovascular diseases. These are several arguments for concluding that green is better!