Obama: "Spend More Time Playing Outside"

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AT THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-to-the-Annual-Conference-of-the-American-Medical-Association/

"The second step that we can all agree on is to invest more in preventive care so we can avoid illness and disease in the first place. That starts with each of us taking more responsibility for our health and for the health of our children. It means quitting smoking. It means going in for that mammogram or colon cancer screening. It means going for a run or hitting the gym, and raising our children to step away from the video games and spend more time playing outside."

President Obama, Governors Proclaim June Great Outdoors Month!

http://www.nwf.org/news/story.cfm?pageId=A13E8F9A-5056-A868-A0DD260F97193B85

From the National Wildlife Federation Newsroom:

President Obama, Governors Declare June Great Outdoors Month
Published June 1, 2009 June is an especially good time to trade screen time for green time, and get outside with family and friends. For several years the President and most Governors have issued annual proclamations declaring June as Great Outdoors Month. On Monday, President Obama released his 2009 proclamation for Great Outdoors Month.

This month, children and their families can enjoy the benefits of outdoor activities such as camping, fishing, cycling, or hiking, and National Wildlife Federation offers resources to help plan an afternoon at the park or a weekend in the mountains. The new online database NatureFind shows how easy it is to find green spaces wherever you are, and users can access maps with directions to parks, zoos, wildlife refuges, hiking trails and more—powered by your own zip code. Visit nwf.org/NatureFind to begin planning your Outdoors Month adventure.

Kevin Coyle, Vice President for Education and Training at National Wildlife Federation, said:

“President Obama’s proclamation of June as Great Outdoors Month recognizes the many benefits of connecting children with the outdoors and provides opportunities for them to learn about and explore the wonders of the natural world. Families who get outside in June—or any time of year—enjoy health benefits and quality time bonding with one another.”

“This week with partners like the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Forest Service, American Recreation Coalition and others, we kick off a special season, one that promises to inspire people to grab a friend, pick a favorite activity, and head into the great outdoors.

“Everyone should heed President Obama’s call to surround themselves with our nation’s natural beauty. The month-long celebration includes National Get Outdoors Day on June 13 and wraps up with National Wildlife Federation’s Great American Backyard Campout on June 27—thousands of people have registered for this ultimate staycation under the stars.

“Thanks to the President’s and Governors’ proclamations, Great Outdoors Month will inspire America’s indoor generation to Be Out There with neighbors, family and friends.”

To view the President's proclamation, visit www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-Great-Outdoors-Month/.

National Wildlife Federation is America's largest conservation organization inspiring Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future. Visit www.nwf.org.

South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks - No Child Left Inside Program

South Dakota is getting it right, providing some small seed grants to schools and organizations. Here's the full article:

ARGUS LEADER

January 12, 2009

Grants available for outdoor kids programs

“Get out!” That's the message coming from the state Game, Fish & Parks’ education program, “No Child Left Inside.”

As a response to the growing trend of children spending less and less time exploring their natural surroundings, the GF&P is implementing efforts to encourage parents and teachers to get kids outdoors, learning.The GF&P is calling for people to apply for small grants to propel the program forward. Applications are due March 27.“So many kids are spending hours each day in front of the TV or computer,” says Chad Tussing, education services coordinator for GF&P. Recent surveys are showing that Americans watch, on average, four hours of TV per day. For children, that number climbs to an average of 6.5 hours per day.The small grant program is designed to extend the impact of the No Child Left Inside effort to others who work with children. Groups, schools, and others can apply for one of these grants, ranging from $500 to $1,000 per grant. The projects must include a strong educational value and should have the potential for wide-reaching impact. Potential projects include educational curricula, outdoor classrooms, or other educational activities. Projects are strongly encouraged to have greater reach and impact than the actual grant period.For information or an application, visit www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/Education/NoChild.htm or call Tussing at 773-2541.

National Wildlife Federation Seeks Policy Solutions to Nature Deficit

There has been a lot of talk about the issue of nature deficit, that kids simply aren't spending time outdoors any more. The research is certainly telling us that this is the trend.

The National Wildlife Federation's report, "Connecting Today's Kids with Nature: A Policy Action Plan," is an exciting resource for those that want to take action and find policy solutions in their community, state or even at the federal level.

There are tons of great ideas in this report for taking action close to home, in your community, in your state and at the national level. The policy solutions raised in the report range from teaming up with local law enforcement to working with public health and social service agencies on the state level to supporting action on the federal level by passing legislation to support hands-on environmental educaiton. Click here to read and download the full report.

Playing outside can prevent children becoming short-sighted

The body of research supporting the health benefits of outdoor play for children continues to grow! Fascinating article from a British Newspaper, Mail Online:

Playing outdoors dramatically cuts a child's risk of becoming short-sighted, research shows.

Just two or three hours of fun in the fresh air each day halves the odds of the common condition, studies have found.

The finding challenges the widespread belief that short-sightedness, in
which distant objects appear blurred, is caused by an excess of close work such
as computer use and TV watching.

Instead, it appears that the condition, which usually develops during childhood, is warded off by a daily dose of natural light.

Children and Nature Network Research Summary

For those looking for a comprehensive review of research and studies about connecting kids to nature, the Children and Nature Network has an excellent collection of summaries and links available online in three volumes.

Here are just a handful of the summary headlines:

- School Achievement Is Enhanced When Curricula Are Environment Based
- Green School Grounds Foster Achievement and Responsibility
- There Are More Benefits from Naturalized Playgrounds and School Grounds
- Not all children have recess and those that do have shorter recess periods
- Children know more about Pokémon than common wildlife
- Schools are too far away for children to walk or bike to
- Contact with nature provides a variety of health benefits
- Children with ADHD concentrate better after walking in a park

No Child Left Inside Act Gains Momentum

The No Child Left Inside Act (H.R. 3036 and S. 1981) made huge strides in the 110th Congress, especially in the House of Representatives. This legislation, championed by Senator Jack Reed (RI) and Congressman John Sarbanes (MD), seeks to enhance environmental education in our nation’s elementary and secondary schools.

On September 18, 2008, the leadership in the House of Representatives made environmental education a priority by bringing the bill to the House floor for three hours of debate and a roll call vote. Ultimately, the House passed the No Child Left Inside Act with an overwhelmingly bi-partisan vote of 293-109.

Thanks to the League of Conservative Voters (LCV) this important House vote is getting some extra attention. LCV publishes an annual “National Environmental Scorecard,” a non-partisan report card that ranks Members of Congress according to their voting record on environmental legislation. For the first time LCV “scored” a vote on environmental education legislation – The No Child Left Inside Act – sending a signal to Capitol Hill about the importance of environmental education to the environmental and conservation community.

Passage of the House bill as well as the numerous, bi-partisan co-sponsors supporting the Senate bill, provide great momentum as we move into the 111th Congress and seek to pass the bill in both the House and Senate. The No Child Left Inside Coalition has launched a citizen’s petition to keep momentum rolling and provide an opportunity for individuals to take action. As always, organizations are encouraged to join the growing coalition that now represents over 1,000 members.