Your local city park may improve your health, according to a new study. The research shows how access to nature in cities increases physical activity and, therefore, overall health. Lack of physical activity in the United States results in $117 billion per year in related health care costs and leads to 3.2 million deaths globally every year. It may seem like an intuitive connection, but the new research closes an important gap in understanding how building nature into cities can support overall human wellbeing. “Over the past year of shelter-in-place restrictions, we’ve learned how valuable and fulfilling it can be to spend time outdoors in nature, especially for city-dwellers,” said lead author Roy Remme, a postdoctoral researcher at the Stanford University’s Natural Capital Project. “We want to help city planners understand where green spaces might best support people’s health, so everyone can receive nature’s benefits.” In cities, nature provides cooling …