4 creative ways to stay in touch with nature while social distancing!

Times are tough right now, no doubt, but we’ve got just the thing that can make you feel a little better. What is it, you ask?

We spy, with our little eye, something beginning with N. We’re talking about nature. Nature has always been a place for us to get some R&R. Be it, romantic poets in the 18th century who turned to nature for inspiration or your friend who went on a week-long trek to deal with a messy breakup, nature always helps get us back to the right headspace.

You might think this isn’t true for everyone, but science suggests otherwise. Research has shown that 1-on-1 time with nature even if it’s for 20 minutes can do us a lot of good. One such research explores the Japanese concept, shinrin-yoku (forest bathing). Shrinrin-yoku highlights that our urban lives don’t engage all our senses, but nature does: the music of a gurgling creek, a brisk breeze grazing our face, the musty fragrance of old trees.

Google Arts and Culture has always outdone itself in terms of making the world a smaller and more accessible place. Whether it is dramatic stages, Parisian roofs, or London streets, they have made it possible to experience the world online. Their recent addition is just what we need in these trying times: five breath-taking natural parks that you can explore from the comfort of your home. How? Just go to their website, put on your earphones, switch to the biggest screen you have and start your virtual trek.

Why binge on Tiger King, when you can watch the cool cats and kittens roam freely in the wild? Not a fan of cats? Well, choose which side of nature you want to get up and close with from the wide selection these live cams offer: from tigers to sharks and everything in between.

While there are a lot of options available, Explore is a great place to start exploring.                

Pro tip: Explore’s Northern Lights cam is a neat find and while it’s always tricky to time the appearance of the northern lights, the effort is worth it!

For those who prefer sounds to visuals, there are several soundtracks that you can play while doing your daily tasks that will transform your WFH into Work From Nature. Must-tries include:

1.  Spotify’s Nature Sounds playlist: a collection of the most beautiful sounds from nature
2. Jon Mooallem’s Walking podcast: accompany Jon on his long walks through tranquil woodlands. No talking, only walking
3. BBC’s Forest 404 podcast: join Pan in the 24th century as she uncovers what the world was like in the 21st century just through a set of sound recordings from this century
4. David Attenborough’s Life Stories podcast: who better to tell you about the natural histories of creatures and plants from around the world?

As we’ve heard, people staying home has had a lot of positive impact on nature and animals. Animals ranging from pumas to deer are roaming the streets freely. Sadly, not all animals are happy about the lockdown. Stray animals that depended on people for food and water are lost and confused. Even people with pets are struggling to finance essential supplies and veterinary care due to strained finances as a result of COVID-19.

So if you’re looking to reconnect with nature, what better way than helping animals? You can help by contributing to organizations like Ol Pejeta that are working towards keeping the future bright for wildlife. You can help by purchasing from sustainable brands that support animal welfare. You can help by spreading awareness about the various initiatives your local organizations are undertaking to support animals in need. Or you can simply be there for your friends and neighbors if you see them struggling.

Nature doesn’t always have to mean thick lush forests or horses galloping on fields. If you look closely, nature exists in many shapes and forms around us: potted plants, house pets, stray animals, and even the creepy-crawlies. Take time every day to notice and appreciate nature around you.

Need motivation? Organizations are finding unique ways to help you find and appreciate the smaller ways in which nature thrives around you. A must-try is the City Nature Challenge which urges people to find and document plants and wildlife in cities across the globe. People participate to see their cities win in one of three categories: most observations of nature, most species recorded, or most people engaged.