If you need another reason to go outside, consider that medical professionals now recognize the healing powers of nature. Doctors are writing prescriptions for patients to spend time in parks and on trails; they call it ecotherapy. Spending time in the countryside leads to higher self-esteem, quicker recovery, and even protection against future illness. Focusing on the sounds of chirping birds, the sight of trees, and the rush of running water from streams or rivers -- all things protected by land preservation -- yields the most beneficial effects. Try it yourself!