1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:09,600 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning. 2 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:16,959 Speaker 2: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 2: tip is to enjoy some nearby nature. You don't have 4 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:26,320 Speaker 2: to go to Acadia or Yosemite or the Great Barrier 5 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 2: Reef to take in the natural world. You can experience 6 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:33,839 Speaker 2: wonder and beauty in your own backyard, and committing to 7 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:37,520 Speaker 2: do so in practical ways over the next year can 8 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 2: make the next year far more enjoyable. So we often 9 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 2: hear about the great outdoors, but the term nearby nature 10 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 2: was a new one to me. I heard this phrase recently, 11 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 2: and I quite like it. Nearby nature refers to the 12 00:00:55,040 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 2: natural landscape that is easily accessible to a person. It 13 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 2: could be your backyard, or a neighborhood park, or the 14 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 2: grounds of a local school, church, or civic building. Some 15 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:12,880 Speaker 2: lucky folks might have a nearby nature preserve, but it 16 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 2: could even be a window box or display of potted 17 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:21,559 Speaker 2: plants on your apartment balcony. We might travel every few 18 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 2: months to somewhere particularly beautiful, but nearby nature can and 19 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:32,679 Speaker 2: should be experienced every day. If you are looking to 20 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 2: connect more with nature in the new year, Connecting with 21 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:39,839 Speaker 2: nearby nature is quite obviously going to be the easiest 22 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 2: way to do that, and there are a few practical 23 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 2: steps you can take. First, you might map out what 24 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 2: nature is near your home or office, walk around and 25 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:58,080 Speaker 2: really look. Maybe the atrium of the office building next 26 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 2: to yours has a display of tropical plants. Maybe there 27 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 2: is a small thicket of interesting trees on an empty 28 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 2: lot the next block over. Maybe there is a meadow 29 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 2: of native plants growing near the grocery store parking lot. 30 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 2: Explore with an eye toward discovery, and you will probably 31 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 2: find spots you didn't know about. Choose a few of 32 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 2: these spots and commit to going there regularly. I aim 33 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 2: to walk through the woods by my house more days 34 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:32,640 Speaker 2: than not. If there is a pond by your office park, 35 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 2: you might walk around it as a mid afternoon break. 36 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 2: As you do, make observations. 37 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:46,079 Speaker 1: What sort of wildlife do you see? Yes, the squirrels 38 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:51,119 Speaker 1: in geese count What shapes are the leaves? How does 39 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 1: this nearby nature change with the seasons and the hours 40 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:58,639 Speaker 1: of the day. If you have some control over your 41 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:03,239 Speaker 1: nearby nature, it's in your own yard. You can figure 42 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 1: out little ways to make this nearby nature more interesting. 43 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 1: To observe. You could put a bird feeder on your 44 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 1: porch or plant pansies outside the kitchen window. When conditions 45 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 1: are right, you could plant some columbines or day lilies 46 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: or other flowers that hummingbirds might enjoy. Most likely, no 47 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 1: one will object if you pick up trash in a 48 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 1: neighborhood park to make it more attractive. Or maybe you 49 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: have a connection to whoever runs the nearby nature. You 50 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 1: can talk with the grounds committee at your church or 51 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: at the neighborhood school about how they manage the place 52 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 1: and how you can volunteer to help. As you commit 53 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: to visiting this nearby nature, you might also decide to 54 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 1: become more knowledgeable about it. Those trees outside your office 55 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:54,680 Speaker 1: window have a name? 56 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:56,240 Speaker 2: What is it? 57 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 1: Find out what those wild flowers are that loom every 58 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 1: fall in the parking lot next to your post office. 59 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 1: The Eye Naturalist or Seek apps can help with identifying species. 60 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: You might also try to figure out what birds are 61 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: calling from the trees in your backyard. You can download 62 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:20,280 Speaker 1: the merlin id app, which is like Shazam for bird songs, 63 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 1: and learn the names of these species. Knowing something's name 64 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 1: helps it become a friend regardless The key is to 65 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 1: just keep going. There is plenty of evidence that time 66 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 1: in nature is associated with better moods and more energy, 67 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:43,479 Speaker 1: but there is no rule that nature has to mean 68 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:48,600 Speaker 1: somewhere exotic. Taking a moment to appreciate that beautiful oak 69 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:51,480 Speaker 1: tree on the edge of the office parking lot can 70 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 1: be meaningful too. Nearby nature offers opportunities for every day all. 71 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:05,479 Speaker 1: In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and 72 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:15,279 Speaker 1: here's to making the most of our time. Thanks for 73 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 1: listening to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, 74 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:29,800 Speaker 1: you can reach me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. 75 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:33,919 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts 76 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 1: from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 77 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:40,480 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.