Written by SJPL Librarian, Todd Pierce
Most of us spend hours on screens when we’re at work or school, only to turn to more screens when returning home. Current research indicates, though, that our excessive screen use is linked to a number of health problems, to list a few: eye strain, back and neck aches, and general fatigue. One highly effective remedy in restoring ourselves is to spend more time outdoors in green spaces wherever we can, whether it’s as simple as taking walks in the neighborhood to look at trees or taking strolls to parks. Ever wonder why there are countless scenes in movies where the protagonists seek out nature in some form as a form of healing or restoration?
Evidence from the emerging field of environmental neuroscience indicates that more exposure to green spaces can decrease our chance of developing depression, heart disease, and diabetes. According to some researchers, higher tree density in populated areas is linked with lower rates of antidepressant medications. Green spaces are even attributed to better school performance, reduced crime, and improved working memory.
Recommended Reading
Nature and the Mind is my favorite nonfiction work of 2025. Marc Berman, the founder of environmental science, explores how nature—in the broadest sense—is a natural prescription for many of our ills: depression, grief, and general fatigue. My favorite aspect of Berman’s book is the way he emphasizes how we can create more green spaces within our immediate environments to boost our moods.
Kathy Willis, a professor of biodiversity, explores how nature literally affects all of our senses in the most profound way. Her work is based on the most current research in the field.
Most of us believe that scrolling our devices is a harmless pastime, but Zomorodi illustrates how it affects our health, well-being, and creativity. My favorite aspect of her work, which is based on current scientific research, illustrates how being on screens prevents us from daydreaming or having reveries, which is important for creativity.
Do you ever notice how people hardly look at each other as they are out walking? Ever notice how strangers rarely talk to each other anymore in public? Ever notice how we become increasingly impatient while waiting for anything? Christine Rosen, a historian and cultural critic, may help you with answering these perplexing questions if you’re curious how our cell phones and other electronic devices are changing how we relate to ourselves and each other without our awareness. This is the most profound book I’ve read this decade. Highly recommended!
Sherry Turkle is a renowned psychologist who has been researching how the newer technologies have been affecting or reshaping how we relate to each other for the past forty years at MIT. I highly recommend any of her books. My favorite section in her most recent book, Artificial Intimacy, focuses on the dangers of allowing children and teens to use AI as a substitute for developing intimate relationships, as it eliminates the friction or tension of relating to real people. In short, she claims that the empathy children and teens learn from AI is superficial and inauthentic as computers have neither feelings or experiences.
Looking for more?
Okay, enough book talk! Are you now ready to turn off this screen and venture into nature? If so, San Jose Public Library offers free park passes for both the State of California and Santa Clara County parks. Passes may be requested in-person or via our catalog with a San José Public Library card. They have a three-week checkout period with no renewal. Happy Trails!
TIROC Blog Series
This blog is part of a series that focuses on being Trauma-Informed and Resilience-Oriented as part of the Library's efforts to embrace the TIROC principles in our interactions with you and with ourselves.
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