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The theme for this year’s #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek is nature. We’ll always encourage people to find things that work for them and their mental health, including spending time in green spaces.
But the reality is that not everybody has the same access to nature.
But the reality is that not everybody has the same access to nature.
In 2020, a survey found that wealthy white people were benefiting the most from nature, with poorer households and people from Black and Asian backgrounds living further away from green spaces https://www.theguardian.com/inequality/2020/sep/16/poorer-uk-households-have-less-access-to-green-spaces-study
This @friends_earth resource also shows the huge disparity in access to green space.
As they note, children from the most deprived areas are 20% less likely to spend time outside than those in rich areas. https://friendsoftheearth.uk/nature/access-green-space-england-are-you-missing-out
As they note, children from the most deprived areas are 20% less likely to spend time outside than those in rich areas. https://friendsoftheearth.uk/nature/access-green-space-england-are-you-missing-out
Black communities are also disproportionately exposed to air pollution, which in turn is associated with poor mental health
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/oct/10/londons-black-communities-disproportionately-exposed-to-air-pollution-study
And as @WildintheCity1 writes, racism can also prevent people of colour from accessing green spaces https://theecologist.org/2019/oct/10/black-absence-green-spaces
We saw all of this playing out during the pandemic – despite suggestions that time outside could help people cope with the strain and anxiety of lockdown, park closures hit people of colour and people in poverty the most https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/apr/10/coronavirus-park-closures-hit-bame-and-poor-londoners-most
As we noted at the start of this thread, we know that time spent in nature can be hugely healing.
But when we talk about protective factors for mental health, we should also be looking at who is excluded and why. Access to nature is no exception.
But when we talk about protective factors for mental health, we should also be looking at who is excluded and why. Access to nature is no exception.
So this #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek, as well as thinking about the ways in which the outdoors can boost wellbeing, we’re keen to see conversations about lack of access to green spaces too. Everybody deserves to feel the benefits of being in nature. But at the moment, they’re not.
