Getting outdoors is good for your health. Here’s how to do it responsibly.
Plus: Which national parks are free in Arizona + What’s an “autoimmune disease”? + Health tips from Sun Devil Athletics' coaches
Welcome to Doing Well. Today:
An essay on the power of nature
A resource to learn about sustainable practices
Word(s) of the week: “autoimmune disease”
Tips to improve your health from Sun Devil Athletics coaches
Happy Earth Month. Let’s explore more.
We asked: How can we minimize our impact on nature and national parks?
Spending time outdoors can boost our mental and physical well-being and help us connect with others. Many Americans turn to National Park Service sites for outdoor adventure and relaxation; last year, these sites saw a record-setting more than 330 million visits.
While more time outdoors is good for our health, more outdoor visits also mean more wear-and-tear in outdoor spaces like national parks—trash accumulates, vegetation is trampled, and wildlife habitats are disturbed. Without proper care, these beloved spaces can suffer long-term damage, making them less accessible and enjoyable for future generations. So, what can we do to be responsible stewards of the outdoors?
To explore how we can all do our part, I spoke with JD Tanner, the director of education and training at Leave No Trace, an organization dedicated to researching and teaching responsible outdoor recreation. Leave No Trace focuses on seven key principles:
Plan ahead and prepare
Travel and camp on durable surfaces
Dispose of waste properly
Leave what you find
Minimize campfire impacts
Respect wildlife
Be considerate of others
Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Natasha Burrell: What is Leave No Trace’s mission?
JD Tanner: As an organization, we focus 100% on the individual. We say over and over again that it’s going to take all of us. If one person goes out and makes a small change in the way they recreate, and then we all do the same—if we all pick up just one piece of trash or simply say hello to each other on the trail—it goes a long way. That cumulative effect of all of those positive changes in the way we recreate are going to really help nature.
It's more important than ever that we as individuals take those steps and minimize impacts wherever we can. Anything that we can do ourselves to take some of that trash back out of the parks with us—throw it away, recycle, take it somewhere outside of the park—will be a huge help. Our focus is that cumulative effect. If you understand the Leave No Trace principles, we can all make a big difference in this together.
NB: What advice do you have for people who are just getting started in the outdoors and know very little about how to protect outdoor spaces?
JT: We offer a lot of free online training and introductory courses. One that's very popular is our Leave No Trace 101. It takes about 45 minutes, but it gives you the basics.
If someone doesn’t have access to the internet, I would encourage them to stop into any visitor center. Don't be scared of a park ranger—they're there to help. Go up and talk to those folks and say, “Hey, I'm super new to this. What can you tell me?” Most likely they'll give you some general rules about the park. But then they'll also talk about Leave No Trace, and some of the things that visitors can do to minimize their impact on that space.
NB: I grew up with a family that didn’t explore the outdoors very often. There was a big learning curve for outdoor culture and etiquette. Education can sometimes feel like policing behavior. How do you balance teaching Leave No Trace without making people feel ashamed or discouraged?
JT: That is definitely a challenge for us as an organization. Leave No Trace is a spectrum.
We'll use disposing of human waste as an example. The biggest [environmental] impact on that spectrum is going to the bathroom on the ground. [The least environmental impact] is packing out your human waste in a bag, taking it home and disposing of it there so that you leave nothing. But there's all kinds of spaces in the middle.
So, before you pack it out, maybe you're using the facilities that exist on site. You might be digging a cat hole and making your deposit. Maybe you feel comfortable packing out your toilet paper that you use to clean up afterwards. Great. But if not, that's OK too. Just put that down in the cat hole. Altogether, where do you find yourself the most comfortable? We hope that you don't find yourself the most comfortable just going on the ground and leaving it for other people, but somewhere hopefully above that in that spectrum. Then from there, we encourage people to push themselves. If you can do better next time, that's great.
We also remind people that not everybody comes from an outdoor-focused family. It could be their first time in an outdoor space, and they've never heard of Leave No Trace. Walking up to somebody and wagging a finger is not something that we encourage.
If people see somebody doing something that is not [aligned with] Leave No Trace, I would encourage them to go to the park rangers. Not [to] tell on those people, but say “Hey, I saw this happening, maybe you could increase your education or your signage in this space.”
NB: Some of those conversations might be hard to navigate.
JT: Absolutely. It is much more effective if a park ranger or a volunteer in a uniform walks up and talks to them, and they educate. They don't immediately go for their ticket book and start writing a ticket, but they educate that person.
It never makes sense to shame anybody. Educate them and let them know the impact. I would encourage you to have that conversation with a friend or a family member.
NB: Research shows that spending time in nature can improve mental and physical health. I know for myself after spending a weekend in Joshua Tree unplugged, I feel much better. Even just a short walk in the park can really help reset my day. How do you see Leave No Trace contributing to human well-being?
JT: The two are tied together. What were some of your most memorable thoughts about going to Joshua Tree?
NB: It was so quiet. I could see all the stars—it was so beautiful.
JT: There you go. If you were there and people were playing loud, rambunctious music all through the night, it would probably take away from that healthy [experience] that you were extracting from that space, and the same with trash, litter, and human waste being left on the ground. Those things start to impact us. It starts to take away from that healthy experience we were there to have in those outdoor spaces. It's all the more reason that we should take a look at something like Leave No Trace and do our best to practice some of those principles.
How does spending time in nature impact your well-being? Comment below and inspire others!
Well-Informed: Related stories from the ASU Media Enterprise archives
In this essay for Transformations, Rolf Halden, professor and director of the ASU Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, tells the story of his journey from a rocky childhood in 1960s Germany to life-threatening adventures in the Andes, showing how nature has been both a relief and teacher. Read more about his reflections on the deep link between human well-being and nature.
Plus: Who owns your favorite park? Kevin Loughran explores the answer in this essay from Zócalo Public Square, examining the growing privatization of urban parks in the U.S. As more private entities take on a larger role in funding, maintaining, and managing these natural spaces, how can we maintain public access?
Well-Versed: Learning resources to go deeper
Looking for ways to live more sustainably? Visit ASU's Sustainable Earth platform for practical tips and engaging tools for all ages. From K-12 resources for teachers, parents, and students to interactive games, videos, and insightful blog posts, you’ll find tools to make eco-friendly choices every day. Start making an impact today!
Well-Read: News we’ve found useful this week
“Heat Can Age You As Much As Smoking, a New Study Finds,” by Alejandra Borunda, NPR, March 17, 2025
“Insomnia Can Lead to Heart Issues. A Psychologist Shares Tips for Better Sleep,” by Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, CBS News, March 20, 2025
“Alzheimer’s Risk Rises When Amount of Deep Sleep Falls, Study Suggests,” by Sandee LaMotte, CNN, March 31, 2025
“What 23andMe's Bankruptcy Means for Your Personal Data,” by Avery Lotz, Axios, March 24, 2025
Well-Engaged: Take a guess!
Which National Park Service sites are free to enter in Arizona?
Scroll to the bottom of today’s Doing Well for the answer—and in the meantime, remember that whether you’re a fan of serene beaches, calm lakes, bustling forests, or vast deserts, national and state parks are a great place to spend your weekend. Some parks charge an entrance fee, but many are accessible for free.
Researchers have found that the naturally occurring sounds like flowing water or bird calls in national parks and other outdoor spaces can decrease pain levels, lower stress, and improve both mood and cognitive performance. Further, researchers from a university in Australia found that the mental health benefits of protected conservation areas led to a worldwide economic impact of $6 trillion per year.
Well-Defined: Word of the week
You may have heard about popular celebrities dealing with diagnoses of lupus, celiac disease, or Type 1 diabetes. These are all examples of autoimmune diseases, conditions in which the body’s immune system will confuse its own healthy cells for foreign cells. The immune system will then attack those healthy cells, destroying or damaging them, which can cause deficiencies and inflammation. The parts of the body impacted will depend on the type of autoimmune condition that person has. According to the National Institutes of Health, “approximately 8% of the U.S. population is living with an autoimmune disease, and nearly 80% of those with an autoimmune disease are women.”
Luckily, researchers are working hard to better understand and treat these conditions, especially through precision therapies, which are already used in the treatment of cancer and can target “rogue” cells while minimizing the impact to the rest of the immune system.
- Mel Moore, health communication assistant and ASU student
Well-Advised: One thing that is improving our health
We asked some of Sun Devil Athletics’ talented coaches for small actions that have improved their health. Here’s what they told us:
Focusing on your health as soon as you wake up and start your day can significantly alter your health habits. Prioritizing drinking water, getting a workout in, and fueling my body with protein before my day even begins at work has helped me avoid making busyness an excuse as to why I can’t move my body. How you start the day makes a difference, and your mood will be better because of it!
- Preslie Anderson, assistant coach, ASU Volleyball
I’ve done a couple things to improve my health, both physical and mental. My husband and I go on nightly walks and leave our phones at home, which allows us to be present with each other and talk about our days. We also put our work phones on “Do not disturb” after 6 p.m.
- Kyla Roy, assistant coach, ASU Triathlon
Question: Which National Park Service sites are free to enter in Arizona?
Correct Answers: Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Chiricahua National Monument, Coronado National Memorial, Fort Bowie National Historic Site, Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site, Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail, Navajo National Monument, and the Old Spanish National Historic Trail.
All national parks also have free entrance days on several holidays—the next is April 19, the first day of National Park Week. The NPS also offers special passes: current members of the U.S military, veterans, and Gold Star Families can receive a free lifetime pass while seniors 62 and older can purchase an annual or lifetime Senior Pass at a discounted rate. An Access Pass is also available to U.S citizens and permanent residents with permanent disabilities, and through the Every Kid Outdoors program, all fourth graders and their families can get a free pass for a full year.
And be sure to check out Arizona State Parks and Trails for plenty of other recreation options. See you outdoors!
Do you have a question or topic you’d like us to tackle? Reach out at any time—we’d love to hear from you.
Love this newsletter! Thanks for sharing for how the great outdoors can be an asset for our physical and mental health!
If interested in spreading the LNT message further, students can earn their Level 1 Instructor certification in one of our new courses, PRM 294 Nature and Adventure Leadership. We also offer several 1-credit outdoor adventure labs that allow students to build healthy connections in a range of outdoor activities from camping in the Grand Canyon to adaptive rock climbing!