When the topic of climate change or the environment comes up, it seems to have a polarizing effect on many, especially here in the Energy Capital of the World. Depending on where you fall on the political spectrum, either humans are destroying the planet or it’s either a hoax or just normal climate fluctuation. Lost in this conversation is that we humans, and for the purpose of this blog, Houstonians, breathe the air, drink the water, and enjoy (or not) our physical surroundings that exist right outside our homes and vehicles.
Similarly, most gardening advice centers around providing habitat for the birds, bees, and other pollinators. Most professional landscaping focuses on so-called “Curb Appeal”(more on that later). Forgotten in all of that is that we, as individuals, and the ones paying for it all, should be what all those efforts focus on. After all, to summarize the late great landscape architect, Thomas D. Church, “Gardens are for People”, too.
What if, by simply thinking about our homes and gardens differently, we could be healthier, more relaxed, deter crime, live longer, get closer to our friends, family, and neighbors, increase our social standing, reduce flooding, buffer hurricane winds and unwanted noise, and enjoy cleaner water and air? That is just a partial list of what intelligent, human-centered design that utilizes common sense, proven techniques, and environmental psychology can achieve.
A Wilder Life is about exploring and questioning those assumptions and proposing new ways of living and interacting with our outdoor spaces for the purpose of improving our quality of life here in Houston.