Zack LaGrange

A Lost Remedy: The Power of Nature on Mental Health

Project Description

It’s not a far-fetched idea to say that our modern lives are dominated by screens. Phones, computers, tablets, you name it, most of what we do throughout the day involves us being glued to a piece of technology. While these incredible machines have changed our lives mainly for the better, this change has come at a price. Our access to information today is unparalleled, but sometimes maybe it’s too much. Do you really need to know what everyone else is doing at all times? Do you really need access to every news story that has the ability to ruin your day? And lastly, do you really need to envy the lives of people who you would never know if it weren’t for the world online?

The answer, in my opinion, is NO. For these reasons, among others, mental health has been shown to be on the decline by many researchers in a variety of fields, particularly for Millennials and Generation Z (my own generation). And, it’s no secret that locking down in your house during a pandemic has made this much worse. But there is one thing that has the power to be the remedy: nature. Many have forgotten how much we are part of nature and aren’t fully aware of the impact it might have on them. Time spent in nature has been clinically shown to better a person’s mood and decrease anxiety and depression. Through photography, I hope to inspire people to rediscover the natural world and see for themselves how it might better them. But this is not just telling people to go to Yosemite or visit Alaska, that isn’t realistic for many, so using these pictures I stress the importance of finding natural spaces wherever you can.

About the Artist

Zack is majoring in Biology and will be continuing his education with the Biology Master’s Program next year. He was originally born in Monterey, California but has lived most of his life in San Diego. He spends time hiking and camping when he can and hopes to pursue a career in wildlife conservation and research.

Explore Zack's project online