The David Suzuki Foundation has launched the 30×30 Nature Challenge, a national campaign to get Canadians outside for 30 minutes a day for 30 days during May.

“I urge Canadians to join the 30×30 Nature Challenge,” said David Suzuki, award-winning broadcaster, author and co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation. “Commit to getting outside for 30 minutes a day, for 30 days. Whether it’s in a local park or backyard garden, getting your daily dose of nature is a key ingredient for a happy, healthy lifestyle.”

The Nature Challenge was created in response to the fact that Canadians have become more and more disconnected from the natural world. The tell-tale signs of nature deficit  include stress, obesity, heart disease, asthma and depression, says the Foundation, but it’s now well documented that time spent in nature can improve physical and mental health, dramatically reducing stress and mental fatigue while boosting creativity and vitality.

Research has shown that only a few minutes of exposure to nature can immediately reduce stress levels, blood pressure and muscle tension. Spending an hour in nature can improve memory performance and attention span by 20 per cent, and spending four nature-filled days away from electronic devices can increase your creativity by 50 per cent. Natural views at work result in increased job satisfaction, better concentration, decreased mental fatigue and lower stress levels, while plants in a workplace can reduce feelings of anger, anxiety and fatigue by about 40 per cent and stress levels by 50 per cent over three months.

“Fitting a daily dose of green into our busy routines doesn’t need to be daunting,” said David Suzuki’s Queen of Green, Tovah Paglaro. “It can be as simple as holding your next work meeting outdoors, having lunch in a park or walking the kids to school. And since you will have more energy and increased concentration, the time spent in nature will pay off in spades.”

Throughout the month of May, those who sign up for the 30×30 Nature Challenge  will receive tips about how to reap the benefits of nature by adding more green time to their schedules.

As part of the 30×30 Nature Challenge, the David Suzuki Foundation will work with researchers at the University of Trent to analyze how time in nature affects well-being. By filling out surveys before and after taking the 30×30 Challenge, participants will help to document the benefits of getting outside. The research will test the theory that being more connected to nature is associated with greater environmental awareness, ecologically friendly behaviour, and feeling happier and healthier.

The 30×30 Nature Challenge is presented in partnership with Genuine Health, with additional support from Cisco Systems Canada, Interface Canada, Harvest Power, the Arcangelo Rea Family Foundation and Nature’s Path Foods. CBC Live Right Now is also supporting the 30×30 Nature Challenge through its Get Outside campaign at LiveRightNow.ca beginning May 1st. As well, participants will be eligible for weekly prizes through the 30×30 Photo Contest and if they complete the opening and closing surveys will be entered to win a $500 prize package from Genuine Health.