And now a word from the Dept. of the Obvious . . .

[fgoodwin 23]

Nature Recreation at All-Time Low

 

http://www.nature.org/pressroom/press/press3334.html

 

Arlington, VA February 4, 2008 New Nature Conservancy-funded research shows that across the U.S. and in other developed nations, people are spending far less time outdoors than ever before. The study will be published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

 

Researchers say this study the most comprehensive look yet at nature recreation is a grim confirmation of a long-held theory that people, especially children, are spending less time in the great outdoors.

 

[Oliver] Pergams and fellow researcher Patricia Zaradic, a fellow with the Environmental Leadership Program, have been studying this issue for several years. In 2006, they released a study showing that per capita visits to national parks have been declining for the past two decades.

 

In previous studies, Pergams and Zaradic found the decline in natural experiences correlated with a rise in playing video games, surfing the Internet and watching movies. The researchers call this recent focus on sedentary activities involving electronic media videophilia.

 

[excerpted]

[raisinemright 13]

Oooh...a new word. videophilia.

 

Well, I guess that makes me videophobic. My family of six has one TV, one VCR, one DVD player, zero X-Box, nintendo etc. no cable, no satellite dish, no TIVO.

 

The neat thing is not one kids has ever asked me to get any of the video trash either.

[packsaddle 753]

On the up side, now that we're leaving less of a trace, nature might be better off.

[theysawyoucomin' 10]

If those nice Nature Conservancy people would let me hunt on all that land they take off the tax rolls I might spend more time outside.