Mindfulness of stuff?

Had two walks this morning, one as the sun came up over Gummer's How near Windemere the other through the town centre where the market is taking place. One walk was full of new things to see, the other the same old stuff. One required some effort to get there, the other some effort to stay there. One had people looking cold and miserable the other no-one else for miles. Why is it that we often fail to remember the restorative power of nature? Watching the sun come up (or go down), seeing the bigger view, observing life going on without having to spend more money, noticing how everything changes even as we stand still and look. But being mindful needs effort, to look, listen, feel, use all our senses doesn't happen by accident. But if we can make an effort to go shopping for some momentary pleasure (often followed by the post purchase remorse - should I have bought/eaten/done that?) then maybe we can learn to engage our senses more with the real life going on around us rather than the false life in the marketing promise. We are part of nature not part of someone's business plan.