Climate Change and the Environment
Our staff works to engage with the community to solve and respond to key environmental challenges, reduce and make more equitable our collective use of the Earth's resources, and inspire respect for natural systems and our reliance on them.
Last updated March 6, 2023
Health Benefits of Forests
Most of us sense that taking a walk in a forest is good for us. We take a break from the rush of our daily lives. We enjoy the beauty and peace of being in a natural setting. Now, research is showing that visiting a forest has real, quantifiable health benefits, both mental and physical. Even five minutes around trees or in green spaces may improve health. Think of it as a prescription with no negative side effects that's also free.
Numerous studies in the U.S. and around the world are exploring the health benefits of spending time outside in nature, green spaces, and, specifically, forests.
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Weather vs Climate
Global warming can be hard to imagine during long, cold winters. However, the weather in one location does not represent the climate as a whole. Though some years may be colder than others in some places, the average temperatures of the planet are rising.
Visit the Yale Forum on Climate Change & the Media for a look at the weather of 2013 in the context of long-term climate trends.
The EPA has provided charts showing the increase in greenhouse gases between 247,426 BC and the present.