As a stressed and anxious person, this study really caught my attention. New Yorkers are not just all coincidentally more uptight and faster paced than calmer agricultural states; New Yorkers are conditioned by their urban environment. There is more to just a pretty view. Natural landscapes have a restorative effect. Most people recognize that they are calmer by the ocean or in outdoor environments, yet they fail to see it is a daily necessity. Many pay extra money for a room with a view, but refuse to invest more money into greenery that can more valuably enhance their everyday life. Nature does not have to only be associated with vacation. It is something that can be easily implemented into urban lifestyles.
Baruch, among other colleges, should invest in indoor greenery, such as plants. It might seem silly at first, but the effects appear to be so apparent that its almost more silly not to. It then occurred to me that I’ve been to a few doctors’ offices that had plants in the waiting room. I wonder if they are placed there with any intention of soothing anxious patients. I was specially intrigued by the fact that a photograph of a natural landscape even activates the parasympathetic nervous system and lessens stress. However, this in a way disappointed me, because it is an easy out of investing in urban greenery.
This study brought me to consider other research questions. I am curious to as how New York college students stress levels differ to those on campus colleges with beautiful lawns and walkways. Although, the study did mention that these impacts have a greater affect on older people, which is perhaps why they generally tend to appreciate views more. Also, can certain types of businesses, like the stock exchange, only thrive in uptight urban environments? Do such atmospheres prove beneficial at all?
