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| That was as far as I let him go |
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| I went all the way to the top. |
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| Little trees are fun too. |
Recent research commissioned by Planet Ark for National Tree Day shows that people's ideas of what it means to be Australian do not necessarily align with our lifestyle.
The startling research shows that the laid-back outdoor culture we pride ourselves on is being eroded as Aussie backyards are shrinking, we're working longer hours and kids are playing on-screen rather than outside.
For every hour we spend outside, we spend over seven hours in front of screens watching television or on the Internet. Approximately 1 in 3 people spend less than 18 minutes per day doing outdoor recreational activities, which is about the same amount of time it takes to hang out a load of washing.
This startles me. How can we not care ?
National Tree Day (Sunday 28th July) and Schools Tree Day (tomorrow) provide all Australians with an opportunity to do something positive for the environment and reconnect with nature.
It is Australia’s largest tree planting and nature care event. Giving the opportunity for kids and their families can get outside and have fun while doing something positive for the environment with their local community.
I've participated in National Tree day many times. I remember when my eldest son was a cub scout at 8 -9 yrs old spending the day planting trees in the grounds of our local sports field. We did a few years.
This year Toyota-sponsored the Planet Ark research report Missing Trees – The Inside Story of an Outdoor Nation.
Shrinking backyards, longer working hours, decreased outdoor recreation time (including sports) and fewer visits to National Parks have been identified as the key drivers for this trend and present some fairly alarming facts:• Only 37% of respondents played in a backyard or park in the past month
• Over 1 in 4 children have never climbed a tree or tended a vegetable garden
• For every hour spent on outdoor recreation we spend over seven hours in front of screens watching television or accessing the internet ( yes I am Guilty)
This shift comes at the expense of a range of health and wellbeing benefits stemming from childhood contact with nature.
Planet Ark and Toyota see these figures as a call to action for individuals, families and schools to reconnect with nature through the backyard, playground and parks. Find an event close to you on the website .
To support Toyota’s 14th year of National Tree Day sponsorship I have a $100 Bunnings Voucher to giveaway
Let's start a conversation about the importance of ‘Get outside and grow’.
Tell me about your veggie patch / backyard project or instagram or Facebook your Tree day activities with the hashtag #NATIONALTREEDAY and leave a link here in the comments
The most creative or original entry will win $100 Bunnings voucher.
Australian entries only.
Schools Tree Day – Friday 26th July
National Tree Day – Sunday 28th July
http://planetark.org/
http://treeday.planetark.org/
Winner is Jim B.
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