Environmental Illiteracy

For many of us the connection and passion for the outdoors came from certain experiences we had as an adolescent. For me that passion came from the countless hours I spent either on the water fishing, hunting, or exploring the woods. Today as our society becomes more and more dependent on technology our youth are spending less and less time outside and more and more time playing video games, or watching T.V., which is leading to a society, which is environmentally illiterate. This phenomenon can be seen due to the decline in fish and hunting sales. It is hard for me to picture a childhood without fishing, hunting, or wildlife. Growing up in the city, the majority of my friends lived a very sheltered life from the outdoors and had rarely experienced the wilderness. Luckily for me my parents never let me own video games and pushed me to spend the majority of my youth outside. I would argue that the majority of my learning came from the interactions I had with environment. It helped me grow as an individual and pushed me outside my comfort zone. When I try to explain to my friends why I am so connected with the environment it is impossible to put in words, but I directly go to the experiences of my childhood.
Many people feel that it is not a true issue and that it is irrelevant, but I had the opportunity to witness this phenomenon at first hand. Last summer I was hired as a fishing instructor/counselor at North Star Camp for boys near Hayward, Wisconsin. This camp was unique; because most of the campers came from the Chicago area and were “environmentally illiterate”. Part of the duties included a three-week canoe trip in Canada’s Quetico Wilderness. Ten of these campers had never been camping before and three of them had never been in a canoe before. This trip proved to be challenging, but for many of these individuals this experience was eye opening, they left urban life, forgot about their cell phones, video games, and TV’s, and found great satisfaction in Canada’s Wilderness. By the end of the trip most of them could find satisfaction in outdoors.
Schools should make teaching environmental literacy mandatory in all schools. Studies have shown that teaching environmental literacy at a young age can have major impacts on a society. According to Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s environmental program No Child Left Inside “It is environmental education which can best help us as individuals make the complex, conceptual connections between economic prosperity, benefits to society, environmental health, and our own well being.” It is important for us to spread the passion and love for the outdoors, so the legacy of the environmental movement is not lost and spread on to future generations. “Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” -John Muir

Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Web. 14 Feb. 2012. .

Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Web. 14 Feb. 2012. .