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People, Nature, & Media:People, Nature, & Media:Exploring Human Connections to the Exploring Human Connections to the Outdoors & the Natural WorldOutdoors & the Natural World
A Learning CommunityA Learning Community
The Community Leaders
• John Confer, Parks & Recreation Mgmt.• Kyle Fredrick, Earth Sciences• Bill Hug, Elementary/Early Child Education• Susan Jasko, Communication Studies“Community Members”• Cal U students, faculty & staff• California Borough, Washington County &
Beyond!
What’s this Learning Community about?
• Understanding human relationships with the natural world
• Investigating how these relationships have changed through time
• Examining why these relationships are changing
• Exploring what we can do to repair & strengthen these connections
The Need
• Recent literature describes Americans’changing behaviors, resulting in decreasing:
1. Health & fitness levels2. Visitation to parks & natural areas3. Knowledge of nature & natural systems4. Participation in nature-based experiences &
outdoor activities
The Need (cont.)
• Substantial evidence demonstrates an increase in:1. Nature deficit disorder (decreased
experiential knowledge of nature)2. Ecophobia (fear of nature)3. Attachment to electronic media for vicarious
learning experiences & leisure time activities
Biophilia vs. Ecophobia• Fromm (1964), Wilson (1984) & Kellert (1993)
describe “Biophilia” as the attractions, positive feelings and connections that human beings subconsciously seek with the rest of nature
• Sobel (1995) coined the term “Ecophobia” as an irrational, groundless & sometimes hysterical dislike or fear of ecological problems & all or parts of the natural world– If we want people to flourish we need to give them time to
connect with nature and love the Earth before we ask them to save it
– We can cure the malaise of ecophobia with ecophilia - supporting people's biological tendency to bond with the natural world
• “Go out and play” has become “don’t you dare go outside”
• Nature of childhood has changed in a single generation:– 80% of Americans live in urban areas– 2/10 American children are clinically
obese– Kids spend up to 44 hours per week
plugged in• Kids are told the outdoors are unsafe &
it’s too late to save the planet
Ecophobia
“Sensationalist media coverage and paranoid parents have literally ‘scared children straight out of the woods and field’ while promoting a litigious culture of fear that favors ‘safe’ regimented sports over
imaginative play.” --Richard Louv
Fear Decreases Children’s Play Area
One family’s experience…
In 1919 range = 6 milesIn 1950 range = 1 mileIn 1979 range = .5 mileIn 2007 range = 300 yards
From: Dr. Robert Bird in The Daily Mail, June 15, 2007
Videophilia?
• Fewer people (esp. children) are venturing to parks
• To the contrary, on a typical day> 75% watch TV, videos, or DVDs
As the time people spent on electronic media increased, park visits decreased
Videophilia is a noun coined by Pergams & Zaradic describing the current human tendency to focus on sedentary activities involving electronic media
No Time for Nature• Studies shows that people in the US
& other developed nations are spending far less time in nature than ever before
• Declines in per capita nature participation typically began 1981-1991– Losing about 1% per year & have lost
18%-25%• Less contact with nature translates
to decreased appreciation of the environment in future generations
No Time for Parks
• Attendance at US National Parks continuously increased following WW II until 1987
• A significant downward trend began in 1988
Where Will Future Stewards of Nature Come From?*
[What is the] extinction of a condor to a child who has never seen a wren?
--Naturalist Robert Michael Pyle
* Quotes by Richard Louv best-selling author of Last Child in the Woods Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder
Illustration by Stephen Webster
Developing a “Land Ethic”• We reached the old wolf in time to watch a
fierce green fire dying in her eyes. I realized then, and have known ever since, that there was something new to me in those eyes -something known only to her and to the mountain. I was young then, and full of trigger itch; I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunters’ paradise. But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view (Leopold, 1949, p. 129-130).
Does education or interaction increase appreciation?• Education & participation with the
natural world may increase personal responsibility for protecting it (stewardship)
• Historically, environmental education initiatives resonated with people• Smokey the Bear – “Only YOU can
prevent forest fires” (1944)• Iron Eyes Cody, Keep America
Beautiful (1971)• Woodsy the Owl – “Give a Hoot, Don’t
Pollute!” (1973)
Why not CALU?• Universities throughout the country, big & small, are
investing in “green” initiatives & campus sustainability projects• AASHE - Association for the Advancement of
Sustainability in Higher Education• “…the United States could be leading the way to
creating a sustainable world. Furthermore, U.S. universities, as centers of innovation and learning, could be in the forefront, leading the charge.”
- C. Uhl, Sustainability on Campus, 2004• California University has worked hard to reduce our
energy consumption through the Master Plan• Can we do more? • What about the campus natural spaces?
Learning Community GoalsYear 1
• Brown Bag Luncheons– Students & faculty invited to stimulate discussion of human
connections to the outdoors & the natural world
• Healthy People Healthy Communities, Naturally– One-day conference (Fall 2008, late-October/Early November)
• Web Site– Learning community progress, resources & announcements
• Greening Cal U & Campus Sustainability– Service learning project to celebrate & promote
• Initiate Student/Faculty “Outings” organization– Promote/offer outdoor recreation & leisure activities to campus
community
• Academic Excellence Days 2009 – Presentation of learning community outcomes at 2009
• Future Research and Scholarly Projects– Environmental Education Curriculum– Park visitation, outdoor experiences and
emotional, physical, environmental response• Active Outing Club
– Student-centered organization for individual and collaborative events and trips
– Examples: Rafting, rock-climbing, hiking • Campus Sustainability Initiative
– Energy consumption audit– Service-learning projects associated with
campus clean-up and sustainability efforts
Learning Community GoalsBeyond Year 1…
Discussion Questions
1. How much time do you spend outdoors in nature?– Would you like to spend more or less? Why?
2. How would you describe the quality of your relationship with the outdoors/nature?
– Do you think it has changed? How?
3. In your view, what should Cal U faculty, staff and students do to address the our relationship with the outdoors/nature?
4. How does the media portray the outdoors and nature?– Do electronic communication devices affect how young people view
nature and the outdoors? How?
5. Do you feel Cal U campus is a Green Campus?– Why/Why not?– Do you think we can do better and make the campus more
sustainable? How?
Please answer on the index cards
Thank You for coming & participating!
Please sign up for more information & to become an Please sign up for more information & to become an active member of this Learning Community!active member of this Learning Community!