The Department of Sustainability hosted its third Hot! Topics discussion this semester, this time about the benefits of trees, on Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m. in the Quillen Conference Room on the fourth floor of the library.
During the event, Associate Director of the ETSU Counseling Center Rebecca Alexander gave a presentation on her research about what happens to a person psychologically and physiologically when they are in a natural environment.
Alexander said she has been an “outdoor kid” from the time she was little. A few years ago, when she began section hiking the Appalachian trail, she noticed behaviors that led her to want to do more research about how nature affects people from a psychological standpoint.
“I started to notice, with like my counselor brain, that people are different when you get on the trail,” Alexander said. “Everybody’s friendly and helpful and collaborative and kind, and everybody always looks at you in the eye and smiles and says ‘Hello’; and I was like, ‘What is different about being here?’ Because I really believe that those same people, had I been crossing them on a sidewalk, that never would have happened.”
In her presentation, Alexander discussed a field called green psychology, or eco-psychology, which focuses on the idea that humans are not separate from nature and acknowledges that humans and nature share deeply bonded connection, biologically, chemically and anthropologically. She said when humans are separated from nature, they experience mental, physical and emotional suffering.
Alexander explained how trees, sunlight and fresh air affect the five senses. She also discussed how experiencing nature more can contribute to stress reduction, attention restoration, connectivity and peak experiences.
She said the brain uses alpha waves when a person is in nature, which are the same waves used when a person meditates. These alpha waves put a person into a calm, alert state, whereas the constructed world and society’s fixation on multitasking overwhelms and overstimulates the brain.
At the end of her presentation, Alexander encouraged people to get back into nature. She said spending 5 hours a week outside, 30 to 40 minutes at a time, is a good place to start.
As a person who used to be more technology orientated, ETSU freshman Stefan Fuller said he could relate to Alexander’s discussion of how nature can improve mood and stress levels.
“I had to be digital,” Fuller said. “Lights out. I was one of those people that didn’t have the lights on when I was playing video games, watching TV, whatever. Then I changed that. I got out to nature more, and I think I’ve just generally been happier since then.”
Director of Sustainability Kathleen Moore said the Department of Sustainability hosts this event once a month for faculty, staff and students to learn about and discuss topics relating to sustainability. She said this month’s event followed up with their monthly Walk in the Woods events, which are meditative walks in the woods led by Alexander.
“[We are] trying to get people to know about our university woods and what a great benefit it is,” Moore said. “And how anyone can just go there and relax, hike, do whatever; and so, we thought we’d follow it up.”
Moore said they are deciding on topics and planning for next semester. In the spring, the Department of Sustainability will move into the renovated Culp Center, where future events for the department will be held.
To learn more about events hosted by the Department of Sustainability , visit https://www.etsu.edu/sustainability/
