Look, I spend way too much time staring at screens already – between work, doom-scrolling Instagram, and watching Netflix in my tiny studio – so the idea that technology might somehow help with my nature deficit was pretty skeptical territory for me. But lately I’ve been seeing all these posts about “virtual biophilia” and honestly? Some of it is kind of mind-blowing, even if I’m still figuring out whether it’s actually helpful or just another way to avoid dealing with real problems.
**When Digital Trees Actually Made Me Feel Something**
A few months ago, my friend dragged me to this VR popup thing in downtown Chicago. I was mostly going to be social, but they had me try these goggles that basically transported me to this insane Japanese garden. Like, I could hear water trickling, see koi fish swimming around, feel like I was actually sitting under bamboo trees. For someone who gets approximately zero nature in my daily life beyond the sad tree outside my building, it was… weird how real it felt?
I’ve been following some tech accounts on Instagram (because apparently I follow accounts about everything now), and this stuff is everywhere. VR experiences that drop you onto beaches, AR apps that project forests onto your walls, games that are basically just virtual nature walks. It’s wild how many developers are trying to solve the “we all live in concrete boxes” problem through screens.
Part of me gets it – if you’re stuck in a city apartment with no outdoor space and no money for weekend trips, maybe digital nature is better than no nature? But also, it feels kind of dystopian that we’re at the point where we need to strap goggles to our faces to see a forest.
**Hospitals Are Using Fake Nature (And It’s Working?)**
This is where it gets actually interesting though. I was reading about hospitals using VR nature scenes for patients who are stuck in recovery, and apparently it’s legitimately helping people heal faster. Less pain medication needed, lower stress levels, better sleep – like, actual measurable health improvements from looking at digital waterfalls and virtual beaches.
Which makes sense when you think about it. If you’re trapped in a hospital bed in a windowless room (which sounds like my apartment but worse), even fake nature might be a massive upgrade for your mental state. At least someone’s using this technology for something more meaningful than just entertainment.
The research on this is pretty solid too. People’s cortisol levels actually drop when they’re immersed in these virtual nature environments. It’s not just placebo effect – there’s real physiological stuff happening.
**Offices Are Getting Weird (In a Good Way?)**
Some companies are starting to install these digital nature displays in meeting rooms and common areas. Like, instead of the standard corporate art that nobody looks at, there are walls showing flowing streams or forest scenes with actual nature sounds.
I mean, my office is still a typical fluorescent-lit nightmare, but I’ve seen photos of these setups and they look genuinely calming. If I had to sit in meetings all day, I’d probably prefer staring at a fake waterfall over beige walls and motivational posters about “synergy.”
The productivity research on this is interesting – apparently even brief exposure to nature imagery can help reset your brain and improve focus. Which explains why I always feel better after scrolling through plant Instagram during work breaks, I guess.
**Gaming Got Surprisingly Peaceful**
I’m not much of a gamer, but I tried one of these exploration games that’s basically just wandering through beautiful landscapes. No fighting, no objectives, just walking around digital mountains and forests. It was weirdly meditative? Like a nature documentary you can control.
These games are apparently doing really well, which says something about how many people are craving this kind of content. When your entertainment options are either violent action games or cute farm simulators, maybe there’s a real market for “just let me virtually hike through some nice scenery.”
**Schools Are Getting Creative**
Some schools are using VR to take students on virtual field trips to places they’d never be able to visit otherwise. Kids in Chicago classrooms getting to “walk” through rainforests, explore coral reefs, see ecosystems up close.
From an equity perspective, this is actually pretty cool. Field trips cost money that a lot of schools don’t have, and many students never get opportunities to travel or see different environments. If VR can give kids access to educational experiences they wouldn’t otherwise have, that seems worth doing.
**But Also… This Feels Complicated**
Here’s where I start getting uncomfortable with all this: are we solving the actual problem, or just creating a tech bandaid for systemic issues?
Like, the reason I don’t have access to nature isn’t because virtual reality doesn’t exist yet. It’s because affordable housing in cities is designed terribly, because green spaces are inequitably distributed, because I can’t afford to live somewhere with windows that actually let in light.
I worry that virtual biophilia might make us less motivated to demand better real-world solutions. Why fight for more urban parks or better building standards when you can just put on goggles and pretend you’re in a forest?
There’s also the screen time thing. I already spend way too much time looking at devices, and my sleep is definitely affected by blue light exposure. Adding more screen-based “nature” to solve problems caused partly by too much screen time feels backwards.
**The Health Stuff Is Real Though**
But then I read about the actual health impacts, and it gets complicated. People who use these virtual nature apps report better mood, lower anxiety, improved sleep quality. If you live somewhere with limited access to green space, maybe this technology genuinely helps fill that gap.
I downloaded one of those nature sound apps that plays forest ambiance while you work, and honestly? It does make my tiny apartment feel less claustrophobic. Not the same as actually being outside, but better than traffic noise and construction sounds.
**What This Might Look Like Soon**
The technology is getting pretty wild. I read about prototype systems that can turn your whole living room into different environments – walls become mountain vistas, floor feels like grass, temperature adjusts to match the scene. It sounds expensive and probably gimmicky, but also kind of amazing?
AI is making these virtual environments more realistic and responsive. Instead of just watching a static forest scene, you might interact with ecosystems that change and respond like real natural systems would.
**My Honest Take**
I’m torn on this whole thing. On one hand, virtual biophilia seems like it could genuinely help people who don’t have access to nature – and that’s a lot of us living in cities, especially those of us without much money or flexibility.
On the other hand, it feels like we’re accepting that digital simulation is good enough instead of addressing why so many people are cut off from actual nature in the first place. Why are we building VR forests instead of designing cities better?
Maybe both things can be true though. Maybe virtual nature can provide immediate relief for people who need it now, while we also work on longer-term solutions like better urban planning, more accessible green spaces, housing that doesn’t feel like caves.
I’m definitely curious to try more of these technologies, especially if they can make my dark apartment feel less oppressive. But I also don’t want to lose sight of the fact that real solutions involve changing how we design cities and prioritize access to actual outdoor spaces.
For now, I’ll take my nature where I can get it – whether that’s from my grow lights and plants, trips up to the rooftop garden, or maybe occasionally strapping on some goggles to virtually visit places I can’t afford to travel to. Just hoping we don’t forget that pixels, however pretty, aren’t the same as actual trees.
Robert is a retired engineer in Michigan who’s spent the past few years adapting his longtime home for accessibility and wellbeing. He writes about practical, DIY ways to make homes more comfortable and life-affirming as we age — from raised-bed gardens to better natural light.
