If you live in a busy city, drive a car, have too many meetings and sit in an office all day it’s easy to be disconnected with the nature around you. But the chipmunks, butterflies, waterfowl, song birds and armadillos are all around. So is the life-giving earth you walk upon.
Taking time out to get in touch with your inner tree can really keep you inspired to be green.
How can you reconnect with nature? Many ways, and they don’t all require getting dirty. I know your next meeting may be in five minutes, so here’s a quick list:
1. Hang a recycled bird feeder near a favorite window and watch the birds as you eat breakfast.
2. Host a houseplant exchange adventure at work. To start, co-workers take a new or beloved houseplant to work and sit it on a table. During the day, everyone quietly selects a different plant. Repeat one day each month. Soon, everyone will know many plants while only taking care of one at a time. If you kill the plant, just replace it! Assigning each plant a small journal to accompany it in its travels is nice as well. A cooperative and forgiving spirit is required.
3. Pick your own strawberries. Many farmers let you do this, and they often sell you the berries at a reduced price for picking your own. You must pick strawberries at least once in your life. Strawberries are now ready in California, Texas and Florida!
4. Walk through a plant nursery at lunch. The smell of green and water will refresh you. Plus, you can slowly study new plants.
5. Watch Planet Earth. I don’t recommend many DVDs, but this mini-series takes you where you can’t go yourself, cleverly opening your eyes to hundreds of wonders in nature.
Are you going to try any of these? Please let us know if it makes you feel connected with nature.
译文:
五种趣味方法让你重回自然【拥抱树木的家庭】
如果你生活在一个繁忙的都市，并且平时开车，有开不完的会，每天坐在办公室的话，你很容易就会和你周围的自然生活脱节。但是花栗鼠，蝴蝶，水鸟，会唱歌的小鸟和犰狳却一直在你身边。同样的，你所在的赋予一切生命的地球也是这样。
花些时间在你身边的绿色植物上面，会真的让你获得重回自然的灵感。
要怎样才能和大自然重新接触呢？有很多方法，而且他们都不会让你变得脏脏的。我知道你可能五分钟后就有一个会议要参加，所以这里是一个快速指导：
1. 在你喜欢的窗口挂一个可循环的喂鸟装置，当你吃早餐的时候就可以看到鸟儿了。
2.
在办公室开展一项室内植物的交换活动。开始的时候，大家可以带一个新的，或是自己喜欢的小植物到办公室并把它放在桌上。然后，每个人都悄悄的选一个不一样的植物。每个月可以重复一次，这样，过不了多久，在人们每次照料一种植物的时候，累计下来每个人都能认识很多种植物了。如果你把植物养死了，那就换一盆吧！让每个植物都进行一次小小的旅行。在它“旅行”的时候帮它记个日记也是件不错的事情。这需要的是一个合作和善于宽容的精神。
3.
自己去摘草莓。很多农夫都会让你这么做的，而且他们通常会因为你自己采摘了草莓而以便宜的价格把草莓卖给你。在你的一生之中，你至少应该摘一次草莓。现在，加州，德克萨斯州，和佛罗里达州的草莓都已经成熟等着你去采摘了！
4. 午餐时分去植物小园转一圈。绿色植物和水的味道会让你振奋一下的。此外，你可以走的慢一点，这样就能认识新的植物了。
5. 看行星地球。我不会推荐很多DVD，但是这个微型的系列剧会把你带到你无法自己涉足的地方，让你见识自然界的千万种奇观，大开眼界。
你准备好要试一试了么？如果你感觉你自己融入了自然，请你告诉我们。