Poll Sugests Kids Need to Get Outdoors and Play!

There is a growing disparity between the time kids spend indoors wired to technology and the time they spend outside enjoying nature. The vast majority of today’s kids use a computer, watch TV, or play video games on a daily basis, but only about 10 percent say they are spending time outdoors every day, according to a new nationwide poll from The Nature Conservancy.

Why? Lack of access to natural areas and discomfort with the outdoors are two primary factors identified by the Conservancy’s poll.

The poll was conducted from July 28 through August 4, and asked 602 kids between the ages of 13 and 18 about their attitudes toward nature, outdoor activity and environmental issues.

The bipartisan polling team of Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (D) and Public Opinion Strategies (R) conducted the poll, which was funded by The Toyota USA Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, and the Foundation for Youth Investment.

The poll found a wide range of reasons kids don't spend more time outside. However, in the face of record-breaking temperatures across much of the country this past summer, discomfort from heat and bugs topped the list of obstacles youth cited for not spending time outdoors:

• 80 percent said it was uncomfortable to be outdoors due to things like bugs and heat
• 62 percent said they did not have transportation to natural areas, and
• 61 percent said there were not natural areas near their homes.

Three quarters of the respondents reported they had little if any access to nature through their schools.

Exposing kids to nature is a crucial step to getting kids to care about environmental issues, the poll finds. Those with personal, positive experiences with nature were twice as likely to view themselves as strong environmentalists and were significantly more likely to express concern about water issues, air pollution, climate change and the overall condition of the environment.

Despite their lack of access to nature, America’s youth do have an over-riding concern with environmental issues and – most importantly – are optimistic that their generation can find solutions to the world’s toughest environmental problems.

The majority also stated that previous generations have damaged the environment and left it to their generation to fix. Roughly 76 percent of youth today strongly believe issues like climate change can be solved if action is taken now. They also think safeguarding important lands and waters should be a priority regardless of any ancillary benefits and the struggling economy.

The poll suggests that the best way to get kids more involved in nature may be through peer pressure – 91 percent said that if a friend encouraged them to spend more time outdoors they would listen.

This poll is a snapshot of US kids today, and there is a lot to be learned by it.  Let's do our part to help get our kids moving, active and outdoors.  It's the healthy thing to do!

Happy Easter and Passover from the Pelican Pals!

 

Bella, Britt, Pelican and I wish you a wonderful Easter or Passover!  In this time of rebirth and springtime in many parts of the world, we hope you all find joy and peace in this new season.

On a personal note, we are thankful for all our supporters around this globe.  We are thankful for those of you who are helping save our earth, one person at a time.

In our next two books, Bella and Britt Save the Beach and Sea Turtle Summer, we will try to continue the message of preserving our environment for future generations.  We look forward to sharing this message with you all.  And we look forward to once more empowering kids to do their part in helping save our planet.

Pelican is spotlighted at Turning the Clock Back Blog (First anniversary of Gulf Oil Spill)

Today we are visiting a very eco-friendly blog!  Lots of tips for green living abound here.

One Pelican is spotlighted here today.  Please join us for this informative interview!

Remember, the gulf oil spill happened one year ago today!  This kind of thing must never happen again.  Kids need to be empowered to ask hard questions of their legislators and their president.  They should demand that our planet is handed over to their generation intact and fit for them and for generations that come after.

One Pelian at a Time Reviewed at 4 the Love of Books

Today Pelican will be reviewed at 4 the Love of Books.  Please take a look at what this reviewer says about One Pelican at a Time:  A Story of the Gulf Spill.  This blog is beautifully done and is worth a look at in any event!


Britt, Bella and the old pelican



Brown Pelican in Flight

Remember, the anniversary of the Deepwater Gulf oil spill is April 20. Bella, Britt, Pelican and I will remember and make a pledge to do everything we can to help see this kind of thing never happens again.  And we know that kids can make a difference, too.