Biophilia

Have you ever wondered what causes that warm glow inside, the sense of peace and exhilaration when walking through the woods or sitting by the ocean and watching the sunset? How about the beauty of a fresh snowfall clinging to trees, the smell and feel of the first warm day in spring, or the vistas of unspoiled prairies or mountain ranges? Watching animals in the wild or even the behavior and antics of our pets can affect us similarly. Virtually everyone is touched by such experiences even though we seem to be increasingly alienating and isolating ourselves from nature. Biologists call this phenomenon biophilia – defined as the human need for and love of natural places. As you canoe a beautiful, crystal clear stream, is not the mood changed when you come upon an ol View the rest of this article