Are people living near nature healthier than people without access to nature?

If you've ever been to both New York City and Singapore, you've likely noticed the significant difference in green spaces and nature integration. This contrast may actually affect the health of city residents. Whether it's a walk through a park or a hike in the wilderness, spending time in nature has many benefits on our mental health. Nature can generate many cognitive effects such as calm, joy, and creativity, improved concentration, better mood, reduced stress along with better perceived health. For instance, a study found that in areas where 90% of the surrounding space was green, only 10.2% of people reported feeling unhealthy. However, areas with just 10% green space saw 15.5% of residents reporting poor health. Moreover, people who have higher nature exposure are more likely to have pro-environmental behaviours such as recycling or buying seasonal food products.Areas that have higher amounts of green space also tend to have higher life expectancies. Singapore, which has over 45% green space, boasts a life expectancy of 83 years and only 15% of people with symptoms of depression. Meanwhile, New York, with 27% green space, has a life expectancy of 80 years and 18% of residents reporting depression. Furthermore,the Mental Health Foundation UK found that throughout the covid-19 pandemic, 45% of people in the UK said that visiting green spaces (parks, nature-spaces) has helped them to cope with stress brought on by the pandemic. These findings suggest that peopl