This article details a
massive trend showing up in almost every first world country around the globe.
The trend - children losing contact with the natural world. With the sweeping
rise of technology, and more so, the ease of use of such tech like computers,
smart phones and tablets, more and more kids seem to find themselves inside,
not enjoying the outdoors like generations before them always have. This
article presents the idea that if children lose their connection with nature,
there isn't going to be anyone willing to fight to protect the environment in
the near future. Some studies of demographics and children's inclination to be
outside revealed some shocking statistics:
The author seems to attribute these statistics to the parents of these children, being irrationally fearful of strangers and other aspects of wild lands that could harm their kids. Personally, I think parents need to allow their children to roam and get outside, I am concerned that the kids are too preoccupied with their smart phones to want to go outside, but they should at the very least be given the option. My dad would always take me and my siblings out camping and hiking. I grew a strong connection with nature very early on in my childhood. I would definitely say I am here today as a student of sustainability because of my childhood experiences. Those who immerse themselves in the outdoors have a duty to protect it. And if there is no one going outside to discover and reveal these places to the world, no one is going to care when businesses destroy them for resources.
- In the UK, between one generation, the proportion of kids who regularly went outside for leisure fell from 50 percent to about 10 percent.
- Between 1997 and 2003, in the US, children with outdoor hobbies (biking, skiing, etc.) fell by about half.
- Teenagers in Britain find themselves staring at a screen over half of any given day (not including sleep).
The author seems to attribute these statistics to the parents of these children, being irrationally fearful of strangers and other aspects of wild lands that could harm their kids. Personally, I think parents need to allow their children to roam and get outside, I am concerned that the kids are too preoccupied with their smart phones to want to go outside, but they should at the very least be given the option. My dad would always take me and my siblings out camping and hiking. I grew a strong connection with nature very early on in my childhood. I would definitely say I am here today as a student of sustainability because of my childhood experiences. Those who immerse themselves in the outdoors have a duty to protect it. And if there is no one going outside to discover and reveal these places to the world, no one is going to care when businesses destroy them for resources.
Reference:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/nov/19/children-lose-contact-with-nature?CMP=share_btn_tw
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