The Earth is a brilliant blue "marble" unlike anything else in our known universe. Seemingly fragile from afar, this planet is teeming with biodiversity and life. It's a little amazing to think about how all the right circumstances serendipitously occurred for our planet to support life (as we know it). Earth's distance from the Sun keeps the planet at a habitable temperature, neither too hot nor too cold. The unique formation of the ozone layer protects us from the harmful rays of our star and makes possible the presence of the only substance that many scientists believe is necessary for life: water. Made up of the bonding of two hydrogen atoms and a single oxygen atom, this chemical formation is currently the basis for NASA's "follow the water" search for alien life. Philip Ball describes this element as “essential to the kind of delicate chemistry that makes life possible.” The presence of water is the main reason why we can exist on planet Earth. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Although 71% of our planet is made up of water, more than 96% of that water is saline and less than 4% of that is fresh water. Rivers make up just 0.0002% of the total water on Earth and are the main source of usable water for most people. In Allegheny County, ninety percent of residents rely on the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers for drinking water. Rivers are givers of life, constantly called the "lifeblood" of the community. A river's tributaries, much like our veins that carry vital nutrients, extend across the land allowing a single drop of water to fall to the land and then be carried into the oceans. . Rivers are constantly changing, continually evolving and shaping the land to adapt to its needs. The water level rises and falls, changing the path of the river and even altering the direction from which it flows. The pure force that rivers exude has the ability to deflate one's ego. This precious ecosystem not only provides drinking water, but also habitat both within and along its edges, transportation, recreation opportunities, a source of food, and economic sustainability. Humanity's connection with water begins from its birth. Like an egg, surrounded by a nutrient-rich saline liquid, we grow for nine months in our mother's womb. Protected and nourished by the warm water, we are influenced by the muffled voices and ocean sounds that envelop us. This connection between humans and water is significant and can be used as a resource by designers to improve our health and daily lives. We must not ignore the ability of water to heal the body. Exposure to nature (“green space”) is known to have numerous benefits on everything from productivity to recovery times after surgery. However, exposure to “blue” space (areas in and around water) has the potential for even greater restoration. Access to water can also provide a form of therapy to treat trauma or autism, give communities a sense of togetherness and unity, and even encourage physical activity (Wallace, 2014). Despite the known benefits of exposure to nature, the EPA estimates that Americans spend about 93% of our time indoors. In many urban settings, such as the Manchester neighborhood, access to the river can be extremely limited. This lack of access to water inhibits the ability to obtain the many benefits that can be obtained from this amazing resource andirreplaceable. “If you take care of the minutes, the years will take care of themselves.” - Tibetan sayingHappiness is contagious. Although we have evolved to react more intensely to negative experiences than positive ones to ensure our survival, we have the ability to rewire our brains to have more positive thoughts and feelings, and therefore greater levels of happiness. Rick Hanson, neuropsychologist and author, describes in his TED talk "Hardwiring Happiness" how to increase positivity and happiness. The first step is to focus on the positive experiences and thoughts we have. By keeping them in our minds and focusing on them for a longer period, negative thoughts and feelings will easily resist and creep back; the positive ones will remain and last for a longer period of time. It's not just about changing your mind, but about rewiring the way your brain works; “The mind can change the brain to change the mind.” To be successful at this, he developed an acronym to help learn the process: “HEAL thyself.” The first step is to "have a positive experience", then "enrich" it by locking this experience in your brain and then truly "absorb" it. The last step, “Connect Positive and Negative,” is optional as it requires you to connect a positive experience with a negative one and is considered risky and can arouse negative feelings and emotions. Mappiness, a 2011 study first conducted by George MacKerron and Susana Mourato in the UK, used an app to monitor happiness levels by sending random signals throughout the day that prompted users to respond. Over 1.1 million responses were then cross-referenced with users' GPS locations and known activities to evaluate different locations based on the responses. The study found that people are happier when they are in nature, but even higher happiness rates have been reported when the person is near a body of water. In the marine and coastal regions there was an increase of 5.2%, a percentage equivalent to the difference between "attending a fair and doing housework". “Mappiness 2.0” will be an ongoing study developed by Dr. George MacKerron and Nick Begley and will continue the research while also providing feedback to users to understand how their happiness is affected by different situations, sleep, eating habits, etc. Mappiness 2.0 will be launched in July 2018 and conducted as a worldwide study. While this evidence supports claims of benefits, water alone does not guarantee one environment is preferred over another, how water and the water's edge are treated largely impacts perceptions of these spaces. A clean, flowing river with a natural edge and vegetation is how people tend to prefer their rivers. Pollution (or the perception of it), in the form of sewage, chemicals, odors, etc. and other signs of human impact, the likelihood of a positive experience decreases and, therefore, the amount of recreational use in and along the river also decreases. Plants, while beneficial, with little or no maintenance can also have a negative effect on the benefits, perception and actual safety of the space. Eroded river banks also decrease the quality of perception and therefore positive benefits. Another way perception can be altered is due to a possible traumatic personal experience or negative feelings towards water. A flood or a river that has overflowed its banks can cause destruction and, in the worst case, death, is easily associated with negative feelings or perceptions. Please note: this is just an example. Get a customized document from our writers now”..