Citation

Corrieri U. Epidemiol. Prev. 2021; 45(3): 214-217.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Cooperativa Epidemiologia E Prevenzione)

DOI

10.19191/EP21.3.P214.067

PMID

34212703

Abstract

Plants not only provide ecosystem services, but also have real therapeutic effects: they prevent metabolic and degenerative diseases, improve sleep and mood, promote cardiorespiratory functions and healing, reduce the onset of cancer. Regularly walking in the forest induces the birth of new neurons and protects against the onset of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases; greater numbers of trees in the cities favour sociability and decrease the number of crimes; even just 10 more trees in a neighbourhood improve well-being and reduce pathologies. Trees are also essential to mitigate the climate, attenuate heat islands, absorb pollutants and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and are the main weapon against climate change. But human beings go on deforesting, extensively cutting trees and burning them as renewable energy. This self-harm must be stopped.

Language: it

Keywords

Humans; climate change; Cities; Italy; Trees; Environmental Health; forest therapy; trees