Comments on: Fewer Americans Spending Time Outdoors http://www.bumblebeeblog.com/2008/02/05/fewer-americans-spending-time-outdoors-%e2%80%93-020508/ Busy living the good life Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:21:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dentist Roseville http://www.bumblebeeblog.com/2008/02/05/fewer-americans-spending-time-outdoors-%e2%80%93-020508/comment-page-1/#comment-17110 Dentist Roseville Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:30:52 +0000 http://www.hostmoon.net/~bumblebe/2008/02/05/fewer-americans-spending-time-outdoors-%e2%80%93-020508/#comment-17110 Been wondering about this issue. Thanks for posting this article. You made some good points there. It’s well written and helpful. - Jaime Been wondering about this issue. Thanks for posting this article. You made some good points there. It’s well written and helpful. – Jaime

]]> By: Kevin Downs http://www.bumblebeeblog.com/2008/02/05/fewer-americans-spending-time-outdoors-%e2%80%93-020508/comment-page-1/#comment-12331 Kevin Downs Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:06:27 +0000 http://www.hostmoon.net/~bumblebe/2008/02/05/fewer-americans-spending-time-outdoors-%e2%80%93-020508/#comment-12331 I think one of the few positives that will come out of the poor economy is that people will start to spend more time outdoors. I know this has been the case for me anyway. I think one of the few positives that will come out of the poor economy is that people will start to spend more time outdoors. I know this has been the case for me anyway.

]]> By: Val at Illustrated Garden http://www.bumblebeeblog.com/2008/02/05/fewer-americans-spending-time-outdoors-%e2%80%93-020508/comment-page-1/#comment-1212 Val at Illustrated Garden Thu, 07 Feb 2008 12:53:28 +0000 http://www.hostmoon.net/~bumblebe/2008/02/05/fewer-americans-spending-time-outdoors-%e2%80%93-020508/#comment-1212 I have been reading about this problem, too. In my semitropical town, people are only outside long enough to get from the air-conditioned car to the air-conditioned house. Sigh. But belated kudos to you on your botanical drawing class! I know you're enjoying it. Can't wait to see more of your drawings! I have been reading about this problem, too. In my semitropical town, people are only outside long enough to get from the air-conditioned car to the air-conditioned house. Sigh.

But belated kudos to you on your botanical drawing class! I know you’re enjoying it. Can’t wait to see more of your drawings!

]]> By: Lisa at Greenbow http://www.bumblebeeblog.com/2008/02/05/fewer-americans-spending-time-outdoors-%e2%80%93-020508/comment-page-1/#comment-1211 Lisa at Greenbow Wed, 06 Feb 2008 17:31:29 +0000 http://www.hostmoon.net/~bumblebe/2008/02/05/fewer-americans-spending-time-outdoors-%e2%80%93-020508/#comment-1211 Gosh Robin I would want to go to the park with you. After a good hike to work up a hunger we could go to the Indian restaurant. :) <br/><br/>Kidding aside I have read more than one article about how children are not fully developing because they aren't in nature enough. It is a scary concept. I hope they are all wrong. <br/><br/>If you try to go to a national park during summer you can hardly get in. However during winter we have all of our City and County parks to ourselves so it seems true. Gosh Robin I would want to go to the park with you. After a good hike to work up a hunger we could go to the Indian restaurant. :)

Kidding aside I have read more than one article about how children are not fully developing because they aren’t in nature enough. It is a scary concept. I hope they are all wrong.

If you try to go to a national park during summer you can hardly get in. However during winter we have all of our City and County parks to ourselves so it seems true.

]]> By: RuthieJ http://www.bumblebeeblog.com/2008/02/05/fewer-americans-spending-time-outdoors-%e2%80%93-020508/comment-page-1/#comment-1210 RuthieJ Wed, 06 Feb 2008 08:36:54 +0000 http://www.hostmoon.net/~bumblebe/2008/02/05/fewer-americans-spending-time-outdoors-%e2%80%93-020508/#comment-1210 Hi Robin,<br/>I saw the same report and I thought to myself, "well, how sad is that?" <br/><br/>I think part of the reason is the fear factor. Remember just a few weeks ago the nutjob who killed that young woman (was it West Virginia?) and probably others too? It definitely makes me think twice about going out on my own--especially in an unfamiliar area.<br/><br/>The other thing is a fear of the unknown. For people who have had little or no exposure to the outdoors, there's a lot of scary noises and stuff out there. A mouse or squirrel scuffling around in dry leaves sounds more like a bear when you're out there in a quiet place. Plus there's poisonous stuff out there you shouldn't touch or eat....all manner of unidentified hazards, if you're not familiar with nature.<br/><br/>So it ends up being kind of a catch-22....if you're not familiar with nature, you tend to shy away from it and stick with what's familiar, but by not spending time outdoors, there's no way you WILL become familiar with it.<br/><br/>I wish I had a solution. I know it's much easier when you have someone else to go with who already knows a little bit about nature (my spousal unit is the example). By going to the woods with him, I started learning about nature and once the spark took hold, I couldn't get enough of it and now learn as much as I can from being out there.<br/><br/>I guess the only solution is that I should move to Maryland or you should move to Minnesota....it's a pretty safe bet that if I had the choice of going to a state park or an Indian restaurant, the state park would win! Hi Robin,
I saw the same report and I thought to myself, "well, how sad is that?"

I think part of the reason is the fear factor. Remember just a few weeks ago the nutjob who killed that young woman (was it West Virginia?) and probably others too? It definitely makes me think twice about going out on my own–especially in an unfamiliar area.

The other thing is a fear of the unknown. For people who have had little or no exposure to the outdoors, there’s a lot of scary noises and stuff out there. A mouse or squirrel scuffling around in dry leaves sounds more like a bear when you’re out there in a quiet place. Plus there’s poisonous stuff out there you shouldn’t touch or eat….all manner of unidentified hazards, if you’re not familiar with nature.

So it ends up being kind of a catch-22….if you’re not familiar with nature, you tend to shy away from it and stick with what’s familiar, but by not spending time outdoors, there’s no way you WILL become familiar with it.

I wish I had a solution. I know it’s much easier when you have someone else to go with who already knows a little bit about nature (my spousal unit is the example). By going to the woods with him, I started learning about nature and once the spark took hold, I couldn’t get enough of it and now learn as much as I can from being out there.

I guess the only solution is that I should move to Maryland or you should move to Minnesota….it’s a pretty safe bet that if I had the choice of going to a state park or an Indian restaurant, the state park would win!

]]> By: Dee/reddirtramblings http://www.bumblebeeblog.com/2008/02/05/fewer-americans-spending-time-outdoors-%e2%80%93-020508/comment-page-1/#comment-1209 Dee/reddirtramblings Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:49:05 +0000 http://www.hostmoon.net/~bumblebe/2008/02/05/fewer-americans-spending-time-outdoors-%e2%80%93-020508/#comment-1209 Robin, I think you're right. People seem to love technology so much that they don't even consider the outdoors. As for our family, we (the adults anyway) love parks, camping, biking. As the children have reached teenhood, they like it less and less. I don't know what the answer is, other than we keep dragging ours to the outdoors.~~Dee Robin, I think you’re right. People seem to love technology so much that they don’t even consider the outdoors. As for our family, we (the adults anyway) love parks, camping, biking. As the children have reached teenhood, they like it less and less. I don’t know what the answer is, other than we keep dragging ours to the outdoors.~~Dee

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