Nature-Deficit Disorder

Researching in Library While on the Road Prior to Big Adventure Next Day.

Too much of one thing is never good for you, unless it is love and nature. Lots of love and lots of nature together is even better for you physically and mentally. Families and friends, together, outside exploring nature seems to be on everyone’s list of “Greatest Memories”. Camping trips, road trips, boat cruises, hiking and biking trips, hot springs, sandy beaches and on and on we go.

To some of us it comes as no surprise that too much video, couch time and computer time is not good for you. Are you shocked? We certainly are not. Addiction to technology is on the rise big time. And it is being passed down to our younger generations. Did you know that today’s children receive 1/2 as much time outdoors as the generation before them. Yikes!

Do not get us wrong we are not “down on tech” … how can we be… we love internet tourism, we love websites and we love travel and adventure… plus technology pays our bills. We have high levels of computer and nature in our lives. It is balanced, some say excessive on both sides.

Canada eh Travel and Adventure promotes nature destinations and outdoor adventures – as well as accommodation, tours, guides, transportation and so forth. Canada eh Travel & Adventure Network of websites was created because tourism organizations, at the time, were not fulfilling our needs when traveling and seeking adventure. Nature had no representation nor voice in many tourism organizations back then….  it did not make any sense … nature was our biggest attraction.

Group of Children on Mountain Peak Enjoying the Views.

Canada eh Travel & Adventure is for travelers, like us, who want to explore the country starting from the outdoors and working backwards from there. We wanted to create a researching, planning and booking travel and adventure website… not just a booking website. So we did.

People who seem to always be plugged into technology excessively tend to suffer from Nature-Deficit Disorder. It is not a medical phrase. It is nothing official. However… it is contagious.

Laziness breeds laziness.  It is passed down from generation to generation. Nature-Deficit Disorder was first penned by Richard Louv – a researcher and publisher of “The Last Child in the Woods” and, “The Nature Principle”. Richard Louv stresses that, “children are spending less time outdoorsresulting in a wide range of behavioral problems.”

If there is a message in all this…  it just may be that it is important to have a balance of technology and nature in ones life. Technology is growing and nature is the calming factor of a faster world. Technology breeds information. Nature breeds well being. Well being creates a healthy mind, body and soul.

When in public look around you and what do you see? Be honest with yourself. Is it a picture of health? How many people are smiling? How many people avoid eye contact? How many times do you hear people laughing? What is happening out there? Nothing! …. and that is the problem. We as a population have stopped moving.

Convenience can be an unhealthy habit. Everything is about shaving off seconds here and short cuts there. But we have taken it too far this time. We have programmed ourselves to be a slave to technology as opposed to being a friend of technology… and now the results are reversing.

Take drive-thru coffee houses for example. Something is wrong when a walk-in order is quicker and more enjoyable than a drive thru order. It goes against everything that is drive thru. Long ago we decided to boycott every drive thru. Yes, call us archaic. But every bit of exercise helps and so does interacting with people. When I order a coffee I park my car. I turn off my engine. I walk to the counter inside. I interact with a smile and small talk. I place an order. Pay. Wait. Say my “pleases” and “thank you’s”. I walk back to my jeep and I look up. What do I see but the SAME CARS STILL IN THE LINE UP, engines running and radios blaring for the entire parking lot to hear.

So what have drive thus become… well… they are not always faster,  they pollute the air with exhaust fumes and they have become the  “couches on wheels.”

A recent report says that the human population is connected to technology, on average, of around 54 hours a week. I think that is way low myself. Richard Louv research suggests. “that exposure to the natural world helps improve human health, well-being, and intellectual capacity in ways that science is only recently beginning to understand.” Hmmm… imagine that… getting outdoors is healthy.

Here is a list from the National Wildlife Federation indicating some of the benefits of nature for kids :

• Stronger bones and lower cancer risk: Today’s “indoor kids” don’t get enough sun and are becoming Vitamin D deficient, causing health risks.
• Trimmer and more healthy kids: An hour of play a day is what doctors say is a basic tool in the effort to ward off childhood obesity and diabetes.
• Improved eyesight: Recent studies find that kids who get outdoor time have less nearsightedness and need for eye glasses.
• Less depression and hyperactivity: Outdoor time in natural setting (even tree-lined streets) soothes kids and lower their need for medications.
• Longer attention spans: Children who stare at TV and video games all day have less patience and shorter attention spans.
• Better at making friends: Children playing together outdoors relate directly with one another, create games together, choose sides and improve their “people” skills.
• More creative: Outdoor kids are more likely to use their own imaginations, inventions and creativity while playing.
• Less “acting out” at home and school: Getting kids away from TV violence and video games helps them see that violent behavior does not always solve problems.
• Measurably better grades in school: The healthy bodies and minds that come with outdoor play are better able to do well in school.
• A longer life span and healthier adult life: Doctors estimate that sedentary and obese children lose three to five years from their life expectancy.

We here at Canada eh Travel & Adventure urge you to get outside and live your life! Do not wait around and watch it pass you by on your video screen, TV, iPAD or mobile phone.

We challenge you to take your family outside this coming weekend and get a new lease on life. On Saturday, July 21st, 2012, it is Canada Parks Day! A national event held throughout the country celebrating parks and historic sites. There are many unique events located throughout the country. Hiking clubs are in full swing arranging adventures. Parks are providing tours. Artists are on site painting and sculpting. Historic Sites are reenacting events from the past. Wildlife is out in numbers. So much more. Check this link for events in Canada.