Richard Louv

DIRECTIONS: Use daily, outdoors in nature. Go on a nature walk, watch birds, and observe trees. Practice respectful outdoor behavior in solitude or take with friends and family. REFILLS: Unlimited. Expires: Never.

The reason we feel good at the beach isn’t just because of the view. Natural settings such as beaches, waterfalls, even the zoo — if it’s rich with plant life and water features — are usually filled with negative ions, invisible and odorless molecules that we inhale. When they reach our bloodstream, negative ions are believed to increase levels of serotonin, which alleviate depression. (

Today, children and adults who work and learn in a dominating digital environment expend enormous energy blocking out many of the human senses — including ones we don’t even know we have — in order to focus narrowly on the screen in front of the eyes. That’s the very definition of being less alive. What parent wants his or her child to be less alive? Who among us wants to be less alive