CRWN'S Mission Statement
Fall In Love With Nature
Make Your Generous Donation Today!
What Is Nature Deficit Disorder (NDD)?
The negative effects of a life removed from nature.
“A lack of routine contact with nature may result in stunted academic and developmental growth. This unwanted side-effect of the electronic age is called Nature Deficit Disorder (NDD). The term was coined by author Richard Louv in his book “Last Child in the Woods” in order to explain how our societal disconnect with nature is affecting today’s children (and adults). Some of the symptoms of NDD include attention problems, obesity, anxiety, depression, fear of the natural world and disregard for life.” ~
Some of the leading causes of NDD:
-
TV, computers and video games
-
Loss of freedom to play outdoors
-
Parents’ fear of stranger danger
-
Fear and dislike of the natural world; discomfort outdoors
-
Disconnection from where food comes from
-
Loss of access to nature
-
No longer living off the land
-
No unstructured playtime outdoors
-
Entertainment comes from media, not imagination and outside play
US NDD Statistics & effects
-
88% of children use computers daily
-
Youth avg 8 hours daily on electronic media, teens up to 12 hrs – they take cell phones & games to bed with them.
-
9 million youth are overweight, and rising
-
70% of children are Vit D deficient from lack of sunlight
-
50% of preschoolers are never taken outside for play
-
Denied access to nature increases anxiety and behavior issues
-
Parental fear is the #1 cause of children’s isolation from nature
Benefits of Spending Time in Nature
-
Stimulates creativity
-
Test scores 50% higher
-
Increased imagination, reasoning and observation
-
Able to cope with stress
-
Higher self esteem
-
More adaptable
-
Decreased anxiety and improved balance
-
Healthy mind/body/spirit
-
Increased awareness of surroundings
-
Improved social skills
-
Increased emotional and intellectual development
-
Understanding of nature’s cycles