Environmental English (5)

It's something Patricia Hasbach knows a lot about. She's a clinical psychotherapist and told the BBC

Radio programme Health Check how ecotherapy can help. Does she say it can help everyone?

I often think about ecotherapy as another tool in the therapist's toolbox. It's not a

panacea. It's not going to erase somebody's pain or grief. But it is a powerful tool,

you know. Traditionally therapy has stopped at the urban boundary.

So it's interesting that she describes ecotherapy as a tool – something that can

be used to achieve something else. Here it can be used to help improve someone's mental health.

Ah, but she says it's not a panacea – so not something that will solve everything – it won't

erase or get rid of someone's pain. But going beyond what she calls the ‘urban boundary',

and into the natural world, means there is another method for helping people.

Now, as we've mentioned, ecotherapy can take on many forms – doing art in a forest or

running on a beach are all therapeutic. They're things that makes you feel better or healthier.

Well, I think that's clear, but what is it about the outdoors that affects us?

A good question, Georgina. It seems from research that our busy brains are always on guard, but when

we get into nature it gets a break, there's not so much to be on the lookout for and we can relax.

Well, it does seem the negative symptoms of urban life can benefit from a dose of

nature – a dose is an amount of something. Let's get a good explanation from an expert.

Environmental psychologist Birgitta Gatersleben also spoke to the BBC Health Check programme

and gave two reasons – one of them, she explained, was something called ‘biophilia'.

Biophilia, very briefly, is really an innate positive response that

people have with life and life-like features.

The idea that nature reminds us of life, and if we (are) exposed to the natural elements

then our sort of negative feelings get almost immediately replaced with positive emotions.

Birgitta Gatersleben there explaining biophilia – which is a passion for

or empathy with the natural world and living things.

She said biophilia is innate, which means is a quality that you're born with.

So basically, most of us were born to connect with nature – nature reminds

us of life and gives us good, positive emotions.

Naturally. OK. Well, Georgina, maybe getting today's quiz question right will give you positive

emotions. Earlier I asked you how high the world's tallest tree is thought to be. Is it...

a) 65.8 metres, b) 115.8 metres, or

c) 185.8 metres What did you say?

I said c) 185.8 metres.

Oh dear, I'm afraid that's far too high! The correct answer is 115.8 metres. Never mind.

The tree, named Hyperion, is a type of redwood and was found in California in 2006.

Well, that's still very tall, and would be great to see.

Now we've just got time to recap some of the vocabulary we've discussed,

starting with tonic which can be a fizzy drink you mix with an alcoholic drink, but in the

context of therapy it can mean something that makes you feel happier and healthier.

Horticulture is the study or activity of growing garden plants – in other words, gardening.

A panacea is something believed to solve everything.

If something is therapeutic, it makes you feel better or healthier.

We also discussed biophilia, which is a passion for or

empathy with the natural world and living things.

And innate means a quality that you naturally have – you're born with it.

Well, as you know I have an innate quality for presenting this programme – but now it's

time to go. Please join us next time, and don't forget to check us out on your favourite social

media platform, on our app and of course the website bbclearningenglish.com. Goodbye

Bye!

Hello. This is 6 Minute English and I'm Rob.

This is the programme where in just six minutes we discuss an interesting topic

and teach some related English vocabulary. Well, joining me to do this is Sam.

Hello! So what's our interesting topic today, Rob?

Something close to our hearts, Sam – it's travel.

Great!

But more and more of us are travelling to explore the world – many of us have more leisure time,

and the cost of travelling has become relatively cheaper.

But here lies the problem – the places we're visiting are becoming more crowded,

sometimes spoiling the atmosphere and the beauty – the things we came to see in the first place!

This is why we're going to be discussing

how some cities around the world are putting restrictions on the tourists who visit.

But that's after I challenge you to answer this question, Sam! Are you ready?

Bring it on, Rob!

According to Mastercard's Global Destination Cities Index, what was the most visited city

in 2018? Was it… a) London

b) New York, or c) Bangkok?

All great places to visit – but I think I'll stay close to home and say a) London.

OK. Well, as always I will reveal the answer later in the programme.

Now, let's start our journey in Italy's capital city,

Rome. Famous for its Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and many other things.

Lots of people are visiting, Rob – and locals and tourists have differing attitudes towards

the way they respect these beautiful and historic sites. Respect here is a verb,

to mean treat something with care.

Well, the authorities in the city fear that some tourists are showing disrespect to the city

and have introduced laws to clampdown on certain behaviour. Clampdown means officially trying to

stop or limit people doing something. Sabina Castelfranco is a journalist in the city.

She told BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme why new restrictions have been introduced…

The new rules are really to make sure that tourists do not misbehave when they are

visiting tourist attractions in Rome. Romans don't like to see tourists walking around

bare-chested, they don't like to see them wading in their fountains - so really the

objective is to improve the life of the city for residents and for tourists themselves.

So, the new rules are to stop tourists misbehaving – that's doing bad or inappropriate things.

I'm sure not all visitors misbehave – but those who have been,

have been wading – that's walking through water – in the famous fountains and men

have not been covering up the top half of their bodies – so, going bare-chested.

Not any more, Sam! These new laws have banned this with the objective of improving the life

for the people of Rome – the Romans. An objective is a plan or aim to achieve something.

Other laws introduced in Rome, with the objective of improving the city, include giving out severe

fines to people who drop litter and to those who attach ‘love padlocks' to historic monuments.

Well, I guess if it makes the city a nicer place to visit for everyone,

then it's a good idea. Well, let's talk about another historic old city – Bruges

in Belgium. The old and narrow streets are often packed with sightseers – so

restrictions have been introduced there. Helen Coffey, deputy travel editor for the

Independent newspaper, also spoke to the You and Yours programme, to explain what is going on…

Bruges was the latest city to say we're going to introduce new regulations to crack down on

what they called the Disneyfication of their city. A really key one is they're going to

cap the number of cruises that can dock, and actually this a big one that lots of cities do.

They basically don't like cruise visitors because cruise visitors don't spend money.

So Helen mentioned a crackdown – which like clampdown – means taking action to restrict

or stop certain activities. And Bruges wants to crack down on the Disneyfication of the city.

This term describes turning something into an artificial, not real, commercial environment,

similar to a Walt Disney theme park. I'm not sure it's that similar yet, but one way to

maintain the authentic feel of the city is to cap the number of cruises that can dock.

Cap means restrict or limit. It's felt that visitors who come by cruise ship,

don't stay overnight and therefore don't bring much money into the city.

The message from the city authorities is ‘stay overnight or don't come!'

Well, one city that has people visiting for the day or staying longer is the most visited city

in the world – but where is that, Sam? Earlier I asked you what the most visited city in 2018 was?

Was it… a) London

b) New York, or c) Bangkok?

And I said London.

That was in second place. The most visited city last year was Bangkok, in Thailand.

OK, Rob. Well, maybe what I can get right is a recap of today's vocabulary.

Starting with respect. If you respect something you treat it with care.

We also discussed clampdown, which means officially trying to stop or

limit people doing something. Crackdown is a similar phrase.

To misbehave is to do something bad or inappropriate.

And an objective is a plan or aim to achieve something.

Our next word is Disneyfication - a term that describes turning something into an artificial,

not real, commercial environment, similar to a Walt Disney theme park.

And finally we had cap – which means restrict or limit.

Well, we've had to cap this programme at 6 minutes – and we're out of time. Goodbye!

Bye bye!