When Richard Louv wrote Last Child in the Woods, he never knew that it would create a movement focused on natural learning. In The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with Nature in a Virtual Age, Louv examines the challenges faced by adults who also suffer from nature deficit disorder. He believes that if adults reconnect with nature, it could be the answer to many of their physical and emotional ailments.
In an interview with Ames Tribune, Louv answers five questions about the effects of nature deficit disorder. He recommends a number of habits that adults can embrace to cultivate an appreciation for nature and natural resource preservation:
- Unplug
- Get outside
- Walk
- Play
- Observe
- Look for and appreciate the nearby nature that already exists where you live
- Plant more of it
- Perceive and recreate your home and garden in a new way
- Encourage biodiversity exactly where you are
- Change your workplace to incorporate nature
- Get to know your own bioregion
- Get involved with groups that experience nature or ones that connect children to nature
- Be forgiving of yourself if you can’t always follow through. There will be no quiz.