Children need to grow up in contact with nature if they are to avoid 'Nature-Deficit Disorder' according to Richard Louv (author of 'Last Child in the Woods'). He makes it clear that without sufficient early involvement with nature they can suffer; attention disorders, depression, and obesity. Direct experiences in nature (playing outdoors) have dramatic positive effects on the physical and emotional health of children as they grow up. Children who grow up in an exclusively 'wired world' suffer.
More even than this, genuine feelings about the environment rely on childhood experience.
Encouraging Environmental Concern
The New York Times quotes Louv as saying, "without that intimate experience in and love for nature early on, the 'environment' becomes an abstraction — something to carry in one’s briefcase, rather than in one’s heart", and Andrew Revkin (Dot Earth Blog) points out that children do not need to travel in the wilderness to gain this sort of experience – for them a green urban space or backyard will do initially. Once that 'love for nature' and sense of wonder has been awoken it will stay for life, as adults they will feel genuine environmental concern.
The Audubon Society (mission to conserve and restore natural ecosystems) honoured Louv by awarding him the Audubon Medal for, 'sounding the alarm about the health and societal costs of children's isolation from the natural world'. Louv was deeply moved by the presentation and by the enthusiasm of, 'countless volunteers, professionals, and organizations, including Audubon itself'.
It is better to work towards the future than to moan about the past – Martin Luther King Jr. inspired by presenting a dream and not a nightmare. Focusing on how to make things better is much more powerful than endlessly describing how bad things are, One exemplary story follows.
Volunteer Haitian Divers and their Coral Reefs
Reef Watch has a project in Haiti involving local volunteers. These are not experts (or even swimmers in many cases!), but they are being trained to be able to survey the reefs and record changes.
Their involvement and enthusiasm is expected to 'spill over' to the local fishermen and, “Once they see the fish coming back, see the fish growing, see a beautiful reef coming back, then they will become the ones who protect the reef". This is about enthusiasm, optimism, and hope (a dream – not a nightmare).
It is unfortunate that the title of the online article is 'Haitian Divers Hope to Aid Ailing Coral Reef' and not the full title of the published piece in the New York Times ('Volunteer Haitian Divers Hope to Aid Ailing Coral Reef, and Themselves'), because the fact that volunteers are the focus is important, and the revelation that the project is also helping them is central.
Haitian Volunteer Divers' Optimism
After the horrendous earthquake life on Haiti is grim. The volunteer divers expressed their feelings:
- 'When I saw how amazing it is, I just forgot that I live in a very ugly zone'
- 'When I was down there, I just forgot about the earthquake. I forgot my sadness'
- 'It was like I was living a new life'.
The message is twofold, firstly that children need outdoor play to grow up healthy and with emotional connection to the environment, and secondly that people are inspired when working towards a dream.
Sources:
- 'Author Richard Louv Honored With The 50th Audubon Medal', Audubon, 2008.
- 'Haitian Divers Hope to Aid Ailing Coral Reef', Brent McDonald, New York Times, September 2011.
- Reef Check
- 'On Outdoor Experience and Environmental Values', Andrew Revkin, New York Times - Dot Earth Blog, September 2011.
- Audubon - to learn about and locate Audubon efforts to address Nature Deficit Disorder near you.
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