Mostofusspendourlivesseekingthenaturalworld.Tothisend,wewalkthedog,playgolf,gofishing,sitinthegarden,drinkoutsideratherthaninsidethepub,haveapicnic,liveinthesuburbs,gototheseaside,buyaweekendplacein
Mostofusspendourlivesseekingthenaturalworld.Tothisend,wewalkthedog,playgolf,gofishing,sitinthegarden,drinkoutsideratherthaninsidethepub,haveapicnic,liveinthesuburbs,gototheseaside,buyaweekendplaceinthecountry.ThemostpopularfreetimeactivityinBritainisgoingforawalk.Andwhenjoggers(慢跑者)jog,theydon’trunthestreets.Everyoneofthemautomaticallyheadstotheparkortheriver.Itismyfirmbeliefthatnotonlydoweallneednature,butweallseeknature,whetherweknowwearedoingsoornot.
Butdespitethis,ourchildrenaregrowingupnature-deprived(丧失).Ispentmyboyhoodclimbingtrees.Thesedays,childrenarerobbedoftheseancientfreedoms,duetoproblemslikecrime,traffic,thelossoftheopenspacesandstrangenewideasaboutwhatisbestforchildren,thatistosay,thingsthatcanbebought,ratherthanthingsthatcanbefound.
Thetruthistobefoundelsewhere.AstudyintheUS:familieshadmovedtobetterhousingandthechildrenwereassessedforADHD(多动症).Thosewhosehousinghadmorenaturalviewsshowedanimprovementof19%;thosewhohadthesameimprovementinmaterialsurroundingsbutnoniceviewimprovedjust4%.
AstudyinSwedenindicatedthatkindergartenchildrenwhocouldplayinanaturalenvironmenthadlessillnessandgreaterphysicalabilitythanchildrenusedonlytoanormalplayground.AUSstudysuggestedthatwhenaschoolgavechildrenaccesstoanaturalenvironment,theentireschoolwoulddobetterinstudies.
Anotherstudyfoundthatchildrenplaydifferentlyinanaturalenvironment.Inplaygrounds,childrencreateahierarchy(等级)basedonphysicalabilities,withthetoughonestakingthelead.Butwhenagrassyareawasplantedwithbushes,thechildrengotmuchmoreintofantasyplay,andthesocialhierarchywasnowbasedonimaginationandcreativity.
Mostbullying(恃强凌弱)isfoundinschoolswherethereisatarmac(柏油碎石)playground;theleastbullyingisinanaturalareathatthechildrenareencouragedtoexplore.ThisremindsmeunpleasantlyofSunnyhillSchool,withitshardtarmac,whereIusedtohangaboutincornersdreamingaboutwildlife.
Butchildrenarefrequentlydiscouragedfrominvolvementwithnaturalspaces,forhealthandsafetyreasons,forfearthattheymightg