Leisure time: is Nature Losing out?

Tuesday, February 05, 2008 Leisure time: is Nature Losing out?

The Guardian reports today that fewer people are visiting national parks and engaging in outdoor activities such as camping , fishing etc. The US study has uncovered an "ongoing and fundamental shift away from nature-based recreation", a development which they feel has ramifications for the natural world, after all, we need to understand and appreciate the natural world around us in order to conserve it. Athough the study covered only the US, Spain and Japan the authors suspect this dramatic change in our habits may well be partly attributed to (and here's a new word) "videophilia" or the preference for indoor media activities. People are taking around 25% fewer trips to the great outdoors than they were in the 1980s. The amusement park industry has long been in a battle of hearts and minds to lure guests/consumers from their computer screens and games consoles, enticing them with any number of dazzling new rides and attractions. Seems like Mother Nature has a fight on her hands and though she has an impressive armoury of natural wonders at her disposal she does not have 4 D Cinema...
Posted By Charles Read -- At 4:41 PM \| Comments (1) \| Trackbacks (0)
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I saw this report too. I work in the games industry and I sometimes think our aim is simple: to keep people in their homes. Who needs all that nature n' stuff when you've got super Mario? I guess it's all part of the changing life patterns of today's families. Here in the UK the majority of kids have TVs in their rooms, don't take meals with thier parents anymore and would sooner stab themselves in the foot than trapse up a mountain.

Comment By Duncan Bell At 2/7/2008 7:52 PM