Mental & Physical Health Benefits

The mental health crisis among young people living in the United States is staggering. Since 2009, the rates of depression in teens and adults has risen more quickly than in adults. It is helpful to see how an integrated approach to green schoolyards can profoundly improve mental and physical health:

Listen to MARCI’s speech at the convening.
Mental and physical health are intricately linked together as well as linked to the quality of the environment. Green schoolyards play a role in improving mental and physical health for the following reasons:

Long-term environmental benefits: Green schoolyards improve water and air quality leading to improved physical health. Green schoolyards also reduce climate crisis anxiety because tangible results are being achieved.

Impact of vegetation on the body: Trees and vegetation lower blood pressure and heart rate while creating a sense of calm. Reduced stress in students leads to less depression, anxiety, and fatigue and increased vigor, positive affect, and feelings of calm (Twohig-Bennett and Jones, 2018).

Play: green schoolyards are designed to incorporate play value, they can increase the physical activity at recess because it gives non-sports-oriented children more alternatives to being engaged and moving their bodies.