I've been to that metro area, a long time ago. It is a beautiful place, in my opinion that region of the world is the most beautiful place on earth, and I've been to a few beautiful places worldwide. I have walked through an evergreen forest and seen whales spouting on the Puget sound all within a mile walk. If it weren't so damn expensive and urban in that area I'd live there in a heartbeat.
I'm not entirely talking about reserved places like parks. Cities have those, they're nice. What I mean is, in your immediate environment, outside of your door, the ground is paved, sprayed for mosquitoes (and consequently every other arthropod) with neurotoxins, it is built entirely for humans and yet somehow not ergonomic.
I live under a giant oak tree in an oak forest. There are multiple wild creatures living their lives within a 10 foot radius of where I'm sitting right now. I don't have to go to a designated outdoorsy place, it is my every day environment. That's something very valuable to me.
I'm not entirely talking about reserved places like parks. Cities have those, they're nice. What I mean is, in your immediate environment, outside of your door, the ground is paved, sprayed for mosquitoes (and consequently every other arthropod) with neurotoxins, it is built entirely for humans and yet somehow not ergonomic.
I live under a giant oak tree in an oak forest. There are multiple wild creatures living their lives within a 10 foot radius of where I'm sitting right now. I don't have to go to a designated outdoorsy place, it is my every day environment. That's something very valuable to me.