Go Play Outside; Nobody Else is
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02. 5.08
Ansel Adams-Autumn Moon
“I like to play indoors better ’cause that’s where all the electrical outlets are.” -that's a quote from a fifth-grader in an earlier post and it seems particularly appropriate now. A new study by Oliver Pergams of the University of Illinois-Chicago and Patricia Zaradic of the Environmental Leadership Program finds that park visits and applications to hunt, camp and fish in US National parks have decreased between 18 and 25 percent in the last twenty years.
Ansel Adams- The Tetons and the Snake
The authors were interviewed by the Nature Conservancy, who partially funded the study. They noted that while hiking and backpacking went up a bit, it was really just a very small countertrend, and that in general, people are moving away from nature everywhere. Their research indicates that nature is losing out to computers and video games, and note:
"Other research shows that the time children spend in nature — particularly the activities we looked at in this study — determines their environmental awareness as adults. We recently wrote a review paper looking at this phenomenon as well as at the effects of videophilia on childhood development. These effects are substantial and include obesity, attentional disorders, lack of socialization and poor academic performance." (the authors coined the word videophilia in an earlier report.)
"There seems to be a lot of interest in the green movement, but it doesn't translate to being out in the green," Zaradic said. "That's a problem at a time when many wilderness areas are threatened by urban sprawl, highways, mining, forestry or other developments."
::Nature Conservancy, via ::The Star
See also ::Get Outside and Play
"US National parks have decreased between 18 and 25 percent in the last twenty years"
Perhaps the national parks should be kept kid friendly. We were forbidden to change a diaper on National park grounds by a security guard. When we can't bring our young kids along with the older ones what else are we to do?
While I'm happy about the decreased number of hunting licenses, it's sad that less people are visiting our national parks, and these kinds of numbers are just fodder for advocates of drilling and developing protected areas.
Regarding the previous post, my mother would almost literally lock us out of the house in the summer. Playing outside whenever possible was a requirement just as chores and washing your hands before supper were. Now I'm a treehugger. I definitely believe there's a correlation between the two, as mentioned in the previous post.
I was just about to ask where the title was, glad to see you caught that, lol.
This news is so disturbing, and is probably the root cause of why the environment and groups that fight for the environment have been having such a hard time in the last... 20 years. Direct correlation?
No wonder people do not care about the environment...they don't even know what they're fighting for.
I've noticed this as well, and I quite like it. Fewer people at my favorite fishing spots.
If you read about the history of our national parks you'll learn that hunting and fishing groups played a fundamental role in the designation of many of them: particularly noteworthy are Yellowstone and Glacier.
If being sad is what you want, then look no farther than the snowmobile traffic that has been increased purposefully in Yellowstone. This stresses the animals far more than hunting, which obviously is outlawed in National parks
At the same time, a few isolated spots in the park system (example, yosemite valley) are being choked to death.
You don't mention "No Child left Inside" the book which exemplifies this problem and discusses solutions for it, and has even started a nationwide organization focused on getting children outside.
I posted a statement last week in another Treehugger thread (about logging in the Tongass N.F.) to the effect of: This is a terrible idea. At this rate, there will be no clean air and woods for my kids to play in (and I'm in that generation that is currently getting into child-bearing mode).
Another poster responded: "You have got to be kidding yourself. With so many social problems, why would you want your kids outside?" This is the attitude coming from adults. The outdoors are dangerous, they say. Stay inside, where the glow of the television is warm and safe (nevermind what "social problems" the kids will witness on the idiot box).
I'm not arguing that there aren't dangers in the outside world. There will always be crime and kidnappers and drugs--but that shouldn't stop us. Does the fear of getting into an accident keep most people from driving their kids everywhere? Does the fear of tainted hamburger stop parents from buying kids Happy Meals?
Those interested in reading further on this subject should look for Richard Louv's book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder.
People do need to get outside more. Find at least one adult activity and subscribe to it. You'll find a broader intrest and desire to travel if its something you enjoy. I personally like Ocean Kyaking but I now live 500 miles from the nearest coast. So Paintball it is. get your children involved in scouting. I waz a boyscout as a child and we were doing "Green" before anyone else.
I suppose that because the majority of people now live in towns & cities, this will probably get worse
"Another poster responded: "You have got to be kidding yourself. With so many social problems, why would you want your kids outside?" This is the attitude coming from adults. The outdoors are dangerous, they say. Stay inside, where the glow of the television is warm and safe (nevermind what "social pgproblems" the kids will witness on the idiot box).
I'm not arguing that there aren't dangers in the outside world. There will always be crime and kidnappers and drugs--but that shouldn't stop us."
That means to me, don't let your kids go outside by themselves anymore as in go out side with them. Most adults could use a little more outdoors time anyway. My son had just learned to walk in Jan of 2007 and we have pictures and video of him climbing on rocks in the Smokey Mountain National Park in April or Mohican State Park in July. His favorite thing was to carry around sticks and we were right there with him the whole time. Were planning on replacing our stolen bicycles soon so we can go riding with both kids and I bought a hand held GPS so we can try geocaching or hiking or whatever.
I'm so glad you are sharing this information! The NC Office of Environmental Education has created a series of postcards touting the benefits of spending time outside. Folks interested in using them can order the print-ready artwork for free. Check them out at http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/getoutside.htm
what do everybody feel´s about destroy the center of the earth by pumping liquid co2 inside the center of earth, to clean and cool that way the atmosphere? sounds correct? clean the top, and destroy and mess the inside?
I dug deeper on the Nature Conservancy site and found a tidbit from the authors about the need to (gulp) market nature -- just being realistic, I guess. Blogged about it here:
http://www.beaupre.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/2/6/Videophilia-vs-Mother-Nature
don't for get you sun screen!
That explains why our kids are so OVERWEIGHT. No more cops and robbers, tag, kickball, playing in the mud? LOL Man, I had a good childhood....Video games that's the main reason.