Should we connect children to nature in the Anthropocene?
Abstract To most conservationists and many parents, it seems obvious that it is a good thing to teach children to value the natural world. Not only does connection with nature support their development and well‐being, but it also supports ongoing efforts by humans to sustain the natural world. Howev...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2022-02-01
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| Series: | People and Nature |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10267 |
| _version_ | 1818333187778019328 |
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| author | Brendon M. H. Larson Bob Fischer Susan Clayton |
| author_facet | Brendon M. H. Larson Bob Fischer Susan Clayton |
| author_sort | Brendon M. H. Larson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract To most conservationists and many parents, it seems obvious that it is a good thing to teach children to value the natural world. Not only does connection with nature support their development and well‐being, but it also supports ongoing efforts by humans to sustain the natural world. However, there are incontrovertible trends towards a diminution of the state of nature as a consequence of human activities. In this context, as a thought experiment, we address a rather grim question: Should we still encourage children to be connected to nature, to care for it and be concerned about it? We first consider the meaning of connection to nature in the Anthropocene, and then turn to a consideration of several ethical dimensions of this problem, including the potential trade‐off between well‐known health benefits of time in nature and the long‐term psychological impacts of loss of nature (e.g., ecological grief and solastalgia). While there is no simple answer to our question, our analysis does highlight underappreciated ethical dilemmas of the Anthropocene as well as the value of the local, urban forms of nature to which children around the world are increasingly exposed and engaging with in unprecedented ways. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T13:47:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4cfb0b68d35244e7b230db4ea236ce4b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2575-8314 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T13:47:39Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | People and Nature |
| spelling | doaj.art-4cfb0b68d35244e7b230db4ea236ce4b2022-12-21T23:43:21ZengWileyPeople and Nature2575-83142022-02-0141536110.1002/pan3.10267Should we connect children to nature in the Anthropocene?Brendon M. H. Larson0Bob Fischer1Susan Clayton2School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability University of Waterloo Waterloo ON CanadaDepartment of Philosophy Texas State University San Marcos TX USAPsychology Department The College of Wooster Wooster OH USAAbstract To most conservationists and many parents, it seems obvious that it is a good thing to teach children to value the natural world. Not only does connection with nature support their development and well‐being, but it also supports ongoing efforts by humans to sustain the natural world. However, there are incontrovertible trends towards a diminution of the state of nature as a consequence of human activities. In this context, as a thought experiment, we address a rather grim question: Should we still encourage children to be connected to nature, to care for it and be concerned about it? We first consider the meaning of connection to nature in the Anthropocene, and then turn to a consideration of several ethical dimensions of this problem, including the potential trade‐off between well‐known health benefits of time in nature and the long‐term psychological impacts of loss of nature (e.g., ecological grief and solastalgia). While there is no simple answer to our question, our analysis does highlight underappreciated ethical dilemmas of the Anthropocene as well as the value of the local, urban forms of nature to which children around the world are increasingly exposed and engaging with in unprecedented ways. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10267Anthropocenechildhoodconnection to natureethicsnature‐deficit disordersolastalgia |
| spellingShingle | Brendon M. H. Larson Bob Fischer Susan Clayton Should we connect children to nature in the Anthropocene? People and Nature Anthropocene childhood connection to nature ethics nature‐deficit disorder solastalgia |
| title | Should we connect children to nature in the Anthropocene? |
| title_full | Should we connect children to nature in the Anthropocene? |
| title_fullStr | Should we connect children to nature in the Anthropocene? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Should we connect children to nature in the Anthropocene? |
| title_short | Should we connect children to nature in the Anthropocene? |
| title_sort | should we connect children to nature in the anthropocene |
| topic | Anthropocene childhood connection to nature ethics nature‐deficit disorder solastalgia |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10267 |
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