A writer last night did a local Bookstore signing and review of his new topic: How American children don't want to go outside and play in natural surroundings anymore. Apparently this (and obesity) are UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES of kids sitting exclusively in front of a TV/computer/computer. games. Its a saddening, thought-provoking subject, easily confirmed by demographic study.
"This Tuesday (3/7/06) evening at 8 pm, author Richard Louv will be talking about and signing his book: "Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder" at Goerings Bookstore. His trip is coordinated by Alachua Conservation Trust and includes addresses Thursday evening and Friday morning at the Public Interest Environmental Conference under the theme "In Fairness to Future Generations."
Louv's book has received widespread attention for its thought-provoking observation that the majority of children in America are being raised, for the first time in our history, with little meaningful interaction with the natural world. There are many culprits that contribute to this: the 30 hours per week of "screen time," parental fear of stranger danger and raging traffic, increasingly scheduled activities requiring more car time, etc. The sum total of these effects are obese children who can't pay attention, have poorly tuned senses, and are incurious of novel situations.
Environmentalists are concerned because the conventinal wisdom is that comfort with the outdoors springs from unstructured, explorative play in the woods during childhood. Entrepeneurs worry because the wellspring of our creativity may emanate from youthful striving to comprehend the complexities of the natural world. Despite the mountain of evidence that Louv has compiled that our cities and our society are moving in a dangerous direction, he is essentially an optimist. He provides many suggestions for how individuals, families, and institutions can, in rediscovering the natural world, enjoy a spiritually and physically healthier life.
**The presentation is rather like that of Dr. Ivor Von Heerden, Lousiana State U., who made a formal presentation of the fully calculated future of New Orleans in a Cat 3, 4 and 5 hurricane to the mayor, governor and White House in 2003. He even gave them all CDs! Real, Serious Stuff too!**
