Abstract

The purpose of the article is to demonstrate and explain some of the indirect consequences of “green exercise”. Members of the public may participate in green exercise programmes for in order to improve their health and most often to lose weight, but also see additional positive changes in their understanding of the natural world and their appreciation of nature. As Pretty et al. (2005) have argued, the arguments in support of environmental conservation frequently boil down to economic or ethical reasons. The emotional benefits of the environment are rarely mentioned except in the research literature on green exercise, and Pretty et al. are notable contributors to this body of work. However, there is general recognition that, in its simplest form, the natural environment makes most people feel good. There is a link between the quality of neighbourhood environments and wellbeing, for example (Barton et al., 2009). This knowledge is not new, but the direct link is rarely researched.