Go Greener, Less Risk: Access to Nature Is Associated with Lower Risk Taking in Different Domains during the COVID-19 Lockdown

Specific risk attitude and risky behavior had an important boost during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In this contribution, we hypothesize that access to nature during home confinement will decrease both the tendency to passive risk taking and alcohol intake. To do so, we interviewed through an online survey two samples of Italian residents during the strict lockdown due to the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, in Study 1, participants were 1519 Italian residents coming from different Italian regions, whilst in Study 2, participants were 182 students at a university of southern Italy who were monitored for one week. In Study 1, the hierarchical regression analysis attested that access to nature during the lockdown mitigated the tendency to passive risk taking, over and beyond the effect of socio-demographic variables and the psychological construct of impulsiveness, an important personality correlate of risk taking. In Study 2, the hierarchical regression showed that access to green was associated with fewer glasses of alcohol drunk in a week of lockdown. This effect held over and above the effect of socio-demographic variables and the drinking behavior before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. In both studies, findings confirmed the beneficial effect of access to nature in specific risk-taking domains. Theoretical future directions, as well as practical implications for the management of the COVID-19 emergency by policymakers, are discussed.

Re-envisioning modernity: transformations of postwar suburban landscapes

While most historic cities show traces of modernist influences, the highest manifestation of modernist planning is found in North America’s postwar suburbs. As such, these environments have been highly criticized for their lack of identifiability and public space, characteristics that do not support contemporary human desires for variety and social interaction. In the immediate future, growing demands for housing and transit will create opportunities for urban transformation, and provide a platform for a contemporary critique of modernism and its evolution. This thesis postulates that postwar suburbs can be adapted to better meet the desires of 21st century residents, while maintaining privacy and access to nature. Through an analysis of potential nodes within existing suburban settlement patterns, and a critical engagement with the ongoing critique of modernism, an architecture which defines public space and creates recognizable images can be developed within the existing fabric of suburbia.

Re-envisioning modernity: transformations of postwar suburban landscapes

While most historic cities show traces of modernist influences, the highest manifestation of modernist planning is found in North America’s postwar suburbs. As such, these environments have been highly criticized for their lack of identifiability and public space, characteristics that do not support contemporary human desires for variety and social interaction. In the immediate future, growing demands for housing and transit will create opportunities for urban transformation, and provide a platform for a contemporary critique of modernism and its evolution. This thesis postulates that postwar suburbs can be adapted to better meet the desires of 21st century residents, while maintaining privacy and access to nature. Through an analysis of potential nodes within existing suburban settlement patterns, and a critical engagement with the ongoing critique of modernism, an architecture which defines public space and creates recognizable images can be developed within the existing fabric of suburbia.

Exploring the Relationship Between Perceived Visual Access to Nature and Nurse Burnout

Objective: This study aims to investigate the relationship between perceived visual access to nature views in nurse work and break environments and scores for subscales of Maslach Burnout Inventory among nurses. Background: Burnout is a severe problem among nurses. Literature shows a relationship between stress and burnout and between nature exposure and stress. However, the possible consequent relationship between connection to nature and nurse burnout needs further study. Methods: This cross-sectional study explored the relationship between the subscales (Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, and Personal Accomplishment [EE, DP, and PA]) of the Maslach Burnout Inventory as “outcome variables” and perception of view duration, frequency of exposure to views, view content and artwork content as “explanatory variables” in a subset regression model. The study model also included organizational stressors, environmental design factors, unit type, workload, and personal factors as control variables. Fifty-one nurses working in six units in a large tertiary care hospital participated in the study. Results: Percentage of perceived nature views and organizational stressors were the top two best predictors correlating with EE (37% of the EE variance; p < .05). Percentage of perceived nature views, organizational stressors, and environmental design were the top three predictors correlating with DP (43% of variance for DP; p < .05). No significant relationship was found between study variables and PA. Conclusions: The results of this study recommend perceiving nature views as an independent or integrated intervention to meditation and relaxation techniques. From a design standpoint, this study suggests that a unit and breakroom design with access to nature views could work as a consistent preventive intervention for burnout.

Aktualne tendencje w projektowaniu żłobków i przedszkoli i ich wpływ na rozwój dzieci. Studium wybranych realizacji z uwzględnieniem dostępu do przyrody

W artykule poruszono problematykę architektury współczesnych żłobków i przedszkoli oraz zwrócono uwagę na ich dostęp do przyrody i zieleni na podstawie analizy istniejących obiektów w Polsce oraz wybranych obiektów europejskich i azjatyckich. Opisano podstawowe założenia teoretyczne dotyczące potrzeb dziecka w aspekcie architektury oraz kontaktu z naturą, które zestawiono z realiami panującymi w tego typu inwestycjach. Przedstawiono najczęstsze i najbardziej istotne cechy dominujące architekturę żłobków i przedszkoli a także jej otoczenie oraz poddano analizie w kontekście rzeczywistych potrzeb dla danej kategorii wiekowej. Podjęto próbę oceny najczęstszych czynników przyrodniczego wyjałowienia terenów przedszkolnych oraz nakreślono zagrożenia jakie niesie ze sobą kontynuowanie takiego podejścia. Przyjęte metody badań obejmowały m.in. analizę opracowań naukowych z zakresu architektury, psychologii i kognitywistyki oraz obserwacje i eksperymenty wśród grupy docelowej (dzieci z przedziału wiekowego 3-5 lat). Current trends in the design of nurseries and kindergartens and their impact on the development of children. Study of selected projects including access to nature The article discusses the issues of the architecture of contemporary nurseries and kindergartens, and highlights their access to nature and greenery based on the analysis of existing facilities in Poland and selected European and Asian facilities. The basic theoretical assumptions regarding the child’s needs in terms of architecture and contact with nature were described, compared to the realities of this type of investment. The most common and important features dominating the architecture of nurseries and kindergartens as well as its surroundings were presented and analyzed in the context of actual needs for a given age category. An attempt was made to assess the most common factors of the natural depletion of pre-school grounds and outlined the risks of continuing such an approach. The adopted research methods included, among other, analysis of scientific studies in the field of architecture, psychology and cognitive science as well as observations and experiments among the target group (children aged 3-5).

Domain A: Rights and Access to Nature—Land, Water, Seeds and Biodiversity

This chapter discusses a seemingly obvious but often underappreciated reality—without secure land tenure as well as access to and control over other elements of natural ecosystems, agroecology specifically, and the sustainable livelihoods of food producers more generally, will be impossible. We review how the access and control over water, ecosystem, cultivated biodiversity, seeds, breeds and soil amongst other aspects of nature enable agroecology. Conversely, we review the disabling conditions in this domain where inadequate and insecure access and tenure rights for various elements of natural ecosystems increase vulnerability, hunger and poverty and undermine agroecology. Insecure rights and access to nature provides little incentive for farmers, communities and territorial networks to invest in long-term agroecological approaches.