Forest bathing or Shinrin-yoku refers to time spent walking in forests. In Japan the practice has been studied by forestry, agriculture and health officials. The rest of the world is now catching on to the idea that rather than being a nice-to-have feature, urban forests are vital to balance the health effects of modern life.

In the UK some cities are blessed with urban parks with mature trees. However, some communities lack mature trees, some have decided to remove tall trees due to various pressures, some people like visiting forests but don't feel the need to have them near their home. Perhaps that situation is about to change.

We know that an active lifestyle is necessary for health and well-being. 20-30 minutes walking 5 times per week maintains our mental alertness, blood pressure, body fat ratio and overall stress levels (a leading cause of cancers) at manageable levels. New findings have discovered that walking in forests is even better for us than just going to the gym or taking a stroll down a local pathway. 

Walking in forests (shinrin-yoku) may prevent the onset of chronic illnesses like cancers, reduce blood pressure, heart rate and stress hormones (which may have a preventive effect on hypertension).  It is also credited with creating calming psychological effects through changes observed in parasympathetic and sympathetic nerves. 

Forest bathing appears to increase the level of serum adiponectin--a hormone that in lower concentrations is associated with obesity, type 2 DM (diabetes mellitus), cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome, among other metabolic disorders. A combined study found shinrin-yoku reduces anxiety, depression, anger, fatigue and feelings of emotional confusion.

By developing urban forests we create an oasis in the city, somewhere we can actively balance the indoor air pollution of modern buildings, the information overload and the stress and pressures of the modern world. Sustainable urban planning requires us to include more trees in the urban setting. To mitigate climate change we need more long-lived trees to sequester carbon. Rather than being a nice-to-have feature, urban forests are vital for a cost effective public health system.

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Retro-fitting homes is in the news at the moment. Guidance is around making our homes more energy efficient and saving money. The government has approved suppliers and assessors who will come to your home, check its status and sell you 'fixes'. If you are a tenant the government has a Green Deal scheme so you pay only (about) as much as you save on your energy bill to get the fixes your home needs. These solutions make good sense, but are only part of the picture.

Many people live in homes with small windows and little sunshine indoors, either because the house faces the wrong way, the windows are on the wrong wall to receive direct sunshine, or because the windows are poorly placed or inadequately sized. Why do we need sunshine? Sunshine, and natural daylight, have been proven to be essential for our health and well-being  The natural light improves mood, reduces stress, it even reduces healing times after surgery. Sunlight makes us happy. Our homes need as much light as we can get, for them to nurture us and be the havens we need. Our homes need to support us, by being uplifting places to come home to after a busy week at work.

Wasting money on bureaucracy, or anything else, is never a good idea. However planning departments must change and as tax payers we must invest in that change. Whether elected officials or council planning officers, we need people who understand the bigger picture of a healthy community, and the general principles of design for health and wellbeing in response to environmental degradation, climate change and rising energy costs. Some local authorities are forging ahead, while some lag behind.

The planning process needs to be streamlined so people who want / need to retrofit their homes, to make them more energy efficient (thermal slab flooring or walls, larger windows on the south side, smaller windows on the north, opening windows all around), in addition to the usual double glazing, condenser boilers and insulation, can do so.

Privacy is touted as the main reason people can't have windows in their walls!  However, just as climate change is changing the way we live, (snow, drought  deluges of rain) so planners are learning about the benefits of more light, and the environmental imperative of green living, and so are relaxing some of their previously inflexible stance re street review   We cannot go on as before.

With smart urban planning and green urban design planners and elected officials will be championing the new healthy way to (re) design our homes and our towns.

Once you have mapped where the sun shines on your wall and installed new large double glazed windows on the sunny side, added insulation, energy efficient appliances and an efficient boiler , to complete the process you need some planting. With appropriate planting people can have natural daylight, sunlight when it shines, and enjoy a screened view of and by the neighbours. With companies spending millions on research and development of simulated natural daylight options for healthcare, it is time to stop and ask where are the people standing up and recommending windows, the real, opening thing?

Whether you live in an eco town or are interested in living in green cities, retrofitting your home to be more energy efficient, allow more natural light in and retain more warmth is a smart way to save money and save the planet at the same time.

In 1997, the World Health Organization identified that the health “arena”, 
including priority settings and frequently used spaces such as the workplace, schools, hospitals, correctional institutions, commercial offices and public spaces within our cities should be at the centre of health promotion activities in the 21st century.

During the 66th meeting of the General Assembly of  the United Nations this year, the socio-economic challenge facing the world of non-communicable disease was discussed for the first time.

Effectively designed landscaped and urban settings are a powerful and cost effective tool in the fight to reduce the incidence of non communicable threats to health and well being such as depression, type 2 diabetes, obesity.

I've just submitted an abstract to the World Design and Health Congress for a paper on using landscape and urban design for health and well being. Urban planning for social housing must address the mental health and well being of users. In order for green cities to be cost effective, person-centred landscapes the garden design of the whole needs to be investigated in part.

We can all make a difference. 

"Rising levels of non-communicable disease and social pathologies erode economies and communities, putting pressure on limited health and welfare resources. Links between health and the environment have been demonstrated in the literature."  

Nurturing nature in a way that nurtures people too, that is what 'sustainablity' means to me. Local authorities have been given targets by central (federal) government demanding contracts are let to companies upholding 'green' values. As these are not defined contracts are won by the bidder who makes most noise.

Those with strong environmental ethics are often those with quiet voices. I don'tthink that changing the terminology will change the volume. Quiet 'doers' have always got on with the job of making a difference. Occasionally someone notices and speaks out on their behalf, but generally green cities come about through the coordindated and collaborative actions of unsung heroes.

I like and use the term 'sustainable' as I feel the Brundtland Commission defined sustainable development well as: "development that meets the need of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.” Successful, sustainable development is about change management. How we advise cities and regions to make changes, so residents, communities, businesses, developers and government can do what they want to do in a way that does not reduce the ability of future generations to progress, is crucial to success.

Sustainability is at the core of a healthy community. Environmental sustainability cannot be separated from economic sustainability. To be truly sustainable community design must embrace both elements. Green architecture is a process that is incorporated into every stage of the urban design and development project, from start to finish. To achieve genuine green architecture, eco-friendly principles need to be upheld by everyone involved in the process, from consultation to design to construction.