Humans Outside

Some of the good stuff:

[3:54] What Kathy's been doing since we last spoke

[7:54] What is nearby nature? [10:31] What people think of as nature and why making generalizations isn't a good idea

[15:23] What nearby nature factors appeal to people?

[19:44] The role of mindfulness in nearby nature

[22:45] Is there any benefit to doing the same thing in nature over and over?

[25:37] What it's like to stare at the same tree for 70 minutes

[27:33] What Amy has learned by doing the same thing over and over again

[33:33] How people can create a great nearby nature experience no matter where they are

[41:40] Why nature is like nutrition

205 Outdoor Diary: Out Here Like a Moth to a Flame May 10, 2022

Show notes

It's hard to ignore the song of the returning light and warming weather -- especially after a winter of darkness and cold. You aren't just drawn to it. it's like a magnet.

In this Outdoor Diary episode Amy discusses a series of moments that happen over the creeping of spring that let her know that summer really is right around the corner, and the days of winter are in the past.

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Learn more about City Blossoms Find City Blossoms on Facebook Follow City Blossoms Instagram Follow City Blossoms on Twitter Join the Humans Outside Challenge Follow Humans Outside on Instagram Follow Humans Outside on Facebook

Some of the good stuff:

[:45] How dark was it really?

[:57] How you notice the darkness at all

[1:25] Hint: it's sneaky

[1:42] The light is the ticket

[2:03] The Day of Blinding Light

[2:33] The warm and sweet day

[3:10] The day when it's only light

[3:27] "Green Day"

[4:00] Why this matter

204: How Community Gardens Can Go Beyond Just Bringing Humans Outside (Rafael Woldeab) May 05, 2022

Show notes

Among the lifestyle challenges of living in a city are finding ways to create nature spaces near your home. While many city community green spaces are in the form of parks, everything from their upkeep to ease of access varies widely. And those spaces often aren't designed with a focus on what the community needs or who lives and plays there, creating a block for use by all.

In Washington, D.C. the organization City Blossoms is working to change that by creating garden spaces focused on youth involvement across the city. With two of their core values focused on diversity and equity, the organization partners with communities to create gardens that don't just live in the neighborhood, but are centered around its needs.

In this episode, Rafael Woldeab, City Blossom's executive director, shares his organization's mission, why it matters and how outdoor-lovers anywhere can use what City Blossoms has learned to connect them with nature right where they are.

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Some of the good stuff:

[3:54] How Rafael Woldeab became someone who likes to go outside [5:05] Why the National Arboretum is a good example of nature inequity [10:19] What is City Blossoms? [18:31] Should we focus our resources on community gardens or curated garden spaces? [20:32] Why diversity and inclusion are central to gardening [26:23] Why do gardens matter? [33:51] What gardening can teach you about life [36:52] How anyone can experience the power of gardens [44:01] Rafael's favorite outdoor gear [45:44] Rafael's favorite outdoor moment

203 Outdoor Diary: Heading Outside to Follow Your Curiosity May 03, 2022

Show notes

When was the last time you let curiosity be your guide as you headed outside? It can be easy to stuff that sense of wondering down and fall victim to box checking or making it to the destination. Curiosity, as cliche as it sounds, is what lets you enjoy the journey.

In this Outdoor Diary Amy explores the simple way she's been working to let curiosity drive her decisions outside -- and why you might want to do the same.

Connect with this episode:

Follow Annabel Streets on Instagram

Some of the good stuff:

[:45] The destruction of a windstorm leads to curiosity

[1:21] What this meant near Amy

[1:50] Getting dirty and into it

[2:26] Adults are bad at this

[2:46] What might happen if you're fueled by wondering

[3:13] Why Amy is thinking about this

[3:54] Following curiosity to a debris field

202: The Many Surprising Ways Going for a Walk Makes Perfect Outdoor Time (Annabel Streets) Apr 28, 2022

Show notes

Simple. Boring. Tired. You might think of just going for a regular walk as being something only people with nothing better to do make a part of their daily lives.

But what if going for a walk isn't only an easy way to spend time outside, but also one that's so varied and beneficial that understanding the practice is a matter of scientific research? Author Annabel Streets was so startled by how much better she felt when she started going for walks that she researched the science behind what was happening and wrote a book about it. The result, 52 Ways to Walk, details out -- you guessed it -- 52 different ways to go for a walk and all of the research behind the benefits of each one.

In this episode of Humans Outside, Annabel shares her least and most favorite ways to walk, her walking journey, and why any of it should matter to you.

Connect with this episode:

Read 52 Ways to Walk: The Surprising Science of Walking for Wellness and Joy, One Week at a Time (affiliate link)

Follow Annabel Streets on Twitter

Some of the good stuff:

[2:59] Annabel Street's favorite outdoor space

[3:36] How Annabel became someone who likes to go outside and also go for walks

[7:07] Why she started researching walking

[8:14] Was it hard to find 52 ways?

[8:52] Why people avoid walking

[9:23] Her favorite new way to walk

[12:19] Amy's night experience

[16:44] What people always think about walking

[18:43] Her least favorite way to walk

[19:39] Another perfect and underappreciated walking favorite

[24:18] Ways to walk that didn't make it into the book

[30:38] Want to start walking? Here's how.

[35:06] Annabel's favorite outdoor gear

[36:49] Annabel's favorite outdoor memory

201: Outdoor Diary: Why Going Outside Makes Me Care About Nature, and What I Do About It Apr 26, 2022

Show notes

Spending a lot of time outdoors? You might find that you've started caring about the environment more than you used to. While Amy was a kid, "environmentalism" was seen by her family as a bad thing. But today she knows loving nature means taking care of it. And so she's started doing some simple tasks to put those feelings into action.

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Episode 198: How to Maximize Your Outdoor Life While Creating a Minimalist Lifestyle (Meg Carney)

Some of the good stuff:

[:50] What environmentalism was to Amy growing up

[1:58] How she thinks about environmentalism now

[2:14] Why spending time outside makes you care about the environment

[3:00] The selfishness of loving the environment

[3:22] What this has to do with "leave no trace"

[3:45] What it has to do with buying used stuff

[4:00] What it has to do with how you spend your time

200: How Birding Can Connect You with Nearby Nature (Yamina Nater-Otero) Apr 21, 2022

Show notes

No matter where you live you probably regularly see at least one kind of animal outside your window: birds. City or country, birds serve the ecosystem while providing humans with beauty, curiosity and entertainment.

And if you spend any time noticing them, you are already participating in birding. Feeling curious and want to learn more about these feathered friends? That's where today's guest, Yamina Nater-Otero, comes in. As a program coordinator for Audubon New York based in New York City, she knows that you don't need to live somewhere with big forests or nearby mountains to learn about and watch birds. And in her role as secretary for Amplify the Future, she knows you also don't need to look a certain way or come from any special background to participate. Birding and all of nature is for everyone.

In this episode of Humans Outside Yamina talks to us about how literally anyone can become a birder and the importance of birds in the use of nearby nature.

Connect with this episode:

Learn more about Audubon New York

Learn more about Amplify the Future

Find Audubon New York on Instagram

Follow Yamina Nater-Otero on Instagram Audubon Bird Guide app Merlin app iNaturalist app Join the Humans Outside Challenge Follow Humans Outside on Instagram Follow Humans Outside on Facebook

Some of the good stuff:

[3:04] Yamina Nater-Otero's favorite outdoor space

[4:11] How Yamina became someone who likes to go outside

[5:39] How she got into birding

[7:12] What is her favorite bird and, also, is it possible to have a favorite bird?

[8:09] Amy's favorite bird

[11:46] How birding was an outdoor gateway

[13:58] Misconceptions about birding

[18:20] What is a birder?

[22:49] Useful bonus items for birding

[24:17] What kind of binoculars to buy if you want some

[26:39] How to create a happy bird space

[29:48] How to get started with birding

[32:07] How birding might be a gateway activity

[35:17] Birding can even make you love this place

[38:10] Yamina's favorite outdoor gear

[39:24] Yamina's favorite outdoor moment

199: Outdoor Diary: Why Nature is Spiritual to Me Apr 19, 2022

Show notes

As so many faith traditions celebrate holy days in the spring, Amy has been thinking about the spirituality of heading outside and the ways her faith background misses the boat on understanding and appreciating spirituality in nature.

Connect with this episode:

Learn about Outdoor Minimalist Follow Outdoor Minimalist on Instagram Follow Outdoor Minimalist on Facebook Join the Humans Outside Challenge Follow Humans Outside on Instagram Follow Humans Outside on Facebook

Text of Psalm 23

Some of the good stuff:

[:47] Is nature spiritual?

[1:03] Why we rarely talk about spirituality on Humans Outside

[2:05] The mistake of some faith traditions

[3:27] Where the Bible talks about the spiritual connection of nature

[3:58] A scripture connection to nature

198: How to Maximize Your Outdoor Life While Creating a Minimalist Lifestyle (Meg Carney) Apr 14, 2022

Show notes

If you spend time with nature you might start to feel like the great outdoors is a friend that you want to take extra care of. Even if you've been interested in conservation before, it might now seem more personal, more important. But spending time outside also means you're using nature more than you used to. So how can you maximize your time in nature while also creating a minimalist lifestyle? Today's guest, Meg Carney, offers help for environmentally-minded outdoor uses through her podcast Outdoor Minimalist and upcoming book of the same title.

Connect with this episode:

Some of the good stuff:

[2:51] Meg Carney's favorite outdoor space [4:01] How Meg learned to love to go outside [5:54] Why people get into conservation [7:15] What is "minimalism?" [11:45] Meg's book and podcast [13:55] How to be a minimalist without also living in a tiny house [23:40] Does one person's minimalism matter in the big picture? [30:00] How should the outdoor industry fit into this? [36:34] Simple steps you can take towards minimalism right now [40:00] Meg's favorite outdoor gear [44:30] Meg's favorite outdoor moment

197 Outdoor Diary: Learning to Seek What You Need from Nature Apr 12, 2022

Show notes

The great thing about nature is that it will always have what you need. But how do you know what that is? In this episode, Amy talks about a little bit of her journey to understand how to get what she needs from heading outside.

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