Green Spaces

Green, Zones

By green spaces, we mean a space that gathers trees, shrubs, flowers, and plants.

Vegetation is the main characteristic. We can classify it as a green area a forest, a park, gardens, and, of course, the jungle.

In the cities also constitutes a green area the flowers and plants that are in the medians of the highways, the parterres of the parks, the decoration of exteriors of the buildings, lakes, and zones of stroll.

What are green spaces?

One of the most sensible recommendations of the World Health Organization, is associated with the need that, about 9 square meters of green areas should be available.

However, nothing is farther from reality than that, even though in recent times the inclemency of the effects of climate change has begun to generate greater awareness of the need to preserve and multiply green spaces on the planet.

By definition, a green area is a land characterized by the significant presence of varied vegetation. Therefore, the forest, a forest, a park, a garden, are green areas that although they can host ecosystems connected or separated, deserve the greatest care since they are the best weapon against global warming.

ETALFA_Green AreasThere are green areas that develop thanks to the unique magic of nature.

Others are created by the human being in his eagerness to obtain well-being, despite the fact that at the same time he is the worst of the environmental predators that exist on the face of the earth.

That is why the struggle in defense of the conservation of the earth’s green spaces is not just any old thing. It is an act of human survival, in favor of all beings that populate the planet, without any exaggeration.

Why are important?

The conservation of green spaces on the planet is essential to improve the quality of the air we breathe.

The planet’s natural reserves function as perfect lungs that renew the sick air, polluted by unwanted emissions of greenhouse gases that threaten the health of people and all living beings in general.

Global warming advances in its destructive pace, because of irresponsible industrialization in many cases, where toxic gases are dumped into the atmosphere, soil, and the waters of the earth.

In the case of cities, many collapsed by concrete masses, parks or green spaces become true oases that  connect people with the goodness of nature

Did you know...
In England, the University of Exeter did an interesting study where it was established that those people who live in homes near green areas, feel a  real mental satisfaction  that is sustained over time, which can even take precedence over professional satisfaction or economic incentives.

Also in this study, it was determined that people who maintain contact with nature do not suffer from depression or anxiety. And much less work stress if the office has shared green spaces.

Do not exaggerate. The physical well-being of green areas is related to the unique ability of plants to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide, to release oxygen in the unique process of photosynthesis, allowing the life of all living things on the planet.

green areas and parksThus,  plants are absolutely essential  to combat the harmful effects of environmental pollution.

That is why in large cities that coexist with developed industries and a high volume of automobile traffic, green areas, parks with large trees and plants of various species,  are essential  to reduce emissions of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, the main cause of global warming.

Hence, it is vital to transform that poison into oxygen for life, supported by ample green spaces such as parks, squares, and gardens that contribute to restoring the ecological balance lost in concrete-heavy cities.

Other advantages of the proliferation of green areas for life are:

  • They improve the quality of life of the residents of housing developments, neighborhoods, and cities.
  • They help regulate temperature and reduce the effects of erosion.
  • A park where to read a good book, or rest, is the best free therapy against stress, depression, and anxiety, typical evils of modernity
  • They raise people’s creativity levels, are ideal spaces for the promotion of outdoor sports exercise, and constitute ideal recreation sites for children, with ideal infrastructures for them such as playgrounds, relaxing fountains, and artificial ponds for boating.

Why are they especially important in cities?

central parkIn 2001, a very interesting study in the city of Chicago by Kuo, FE & Sullivan, linking the natural greenery of plants with  a decrease in crime in cities  where buildings are guarded by internal parks and green spaces in abundance.

Apparently, it was established that compared to those residential centers lacking green spaces, those in Chicago with natural greenery had a lower incidence of crime, estimated at 48% less property crime and a significant 56% less violent crime.

The reason?

The study speaks of the beneficial effect of the color green, even on criminals. Because it relaxes, reduces aggressiveness, and gives peace.

Another reason that keeps criminals away from green spaces, is that they are centers of a greater concentration of people, so it is more difficult to execute criminal incursions.

Zonas VerdesThere are cities worldwide that are models of beautiful green multiple areas, such as The Retiro Park, in Madrid, Spain, with 118 hectares for total enjoyment. Or the very famous Central Park in New York, in the United States, with 341 hectares of green areas shielded by concrete skyscrapers, dating from the 19th century; with emblematic places such as the Reservoir Pond, La Rambla, the Shakespeare Garden, or the Conservatory Garden.

Paris, the beautiful French city of light, on the other hand, has about 500 outdoor green spaces to please all tastes.

The most famous are the Tuileries Garden, which separates the Louvre Museum from the Place de la Concorde. Or the spectacular Jardin du Luxembourg, with an area of 25 hectares. The Jardin des Plantes, the Jardin de l’Acclimatation (located in the forest of Boulogne) and the Jardin Botanique are other magnificent places that are part of Green Paris.

What happens if there is a shortage of green spaces?
parque el retiro zonas verdes

It is a bad thing to live in places without natural green spaces, without places of real contact with nature and its many bounties.

It is no secret that in cities anarchist by the noise of automobile traffic and environmental pollution generated by the exhaust of combustion engines, the levels of aggressiveness and the proliferation of criminal behavior are higher if there are also no green spaces for citizen coexistence, where the inequity in the distribution of these areas of peace.

Hence, the need to multiply green spaces in large cities, whose landscape must continue to change color for the common good.

How can we maintain these green areas?

Parks and green areasNothing better than living nature to better defend it. The continuous use and enjoyment as a family of these spaces that connect us with energies of well-being and make us breathe clean air are the best way to understand why it is necessary to protect them from pollution.

Keeping them clean, free of garbage is a simple way to protect them.

But if we want to go further, the creation and active participation in Brigades for the Protection of Public Parks and other green spaces, or direct cooperation with the work of environmental organizations, are also direct ways to preserve the environment.

Teresa Vaz Ferra