Living closer to green space

Stroke is a leading cause of death in Bangladesh. The best way to help prevent a stroke, however, is to follow a healthy lifestyle. These lifestyle changes can reportedly reduce the risk of problems like stroke and cardiac issues. Scientists have recently revealed another aspect of stroke prevention. A team of researchers in Spain claimed that living close to Nature greatly reduces the risk of stroke. The research shows that people who live within 300 meters of a forest or dense vegetation have a 16 per cent lower risk of stroke. But why is that? Experts say that Nature's approach helps maintain good physical and mental health in a number of ways. It is especially important to have plants around us. It maintains good mental health and reduces stress. Besides, if there is a garden nearby, people's interest in walking also increases, which keeps us in good health.

If we have more green places, we will experience less pollution. Monsoon is just around the corner. And if we have understood the importance of green trees, we need to cut down fewer trees and plant many more of them. However, the opposite is happening in case of Dhaka city. According to a recent study, green areas like parks, playgrounds and urban forests - crucial for controlling temperature in a city - have shrunk 66 per cent in the Dhaka North City Corporation over the last three decades. This study should be a wake-up call for all of us. The authorities concerned must take measures to make our cities cleaner and greener. Canals should be reclaimed and trees on their banks be planted, which will increase Dhaka city's green spaces. It will not only decrease the city's air pollution but also take care of Dhaka city residents' well-being.

Ashikujaman Syed,

Research Assistant,

Bioinformatics Research Lab,

Center for Research Innovation and Development (CRID),

syedashikujaman@yahoo.com