We are telling our kids that nature is in the past and it probably doesn't count anymore, the future is in electronics, the boogeyman is in the woods, and playing outdoors is probably illicit and possibly illegal.
Richard LouvRead
Prize the natural spaces and shorelines most of all, because once they're gone, with rare exceptions they're gone forever. In our bones we need the natural curves of hills, the scent of chapparal, the whisper of pines, the possibility of wildness. We require these patches of nature for our mental health and our spiritual resilience.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Cherish natural environments as they are vital for our well-being and once lost, they are difficult to regain.
Richard Louv emphasizes the importance of preserving natural landscapes and shorelines, which are essential not only for ecological balance but also for our mental health and spiritual well-being. He suggests that our inherent connection to the natural world provides us with resilience and peace, underlining that the loss of such environments can have a permanent and detrimental impact on both individuals and society as a whole.
Themes
NatureEnvironmentMental HealthResiliencePreservation
In practice
Example use cases
During a community seminar on environmental conservation, one might say, 'Prize the natural spaces and shorelines most of all, because once they're gone...'
More from Richard Louv
All quotes →Now, more than ever, we need nature as a balancing agent.
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The future will belong to the nature-smart...Th e more high-tech we become, the more nature we need.
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We have such a brief opportunity to pass on to our children our love for this Earth, and to tell our stories. These are the moments when the world is made whole. In my children's memories, the adventures we've had together in nature will always exist.
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Nature-deficit disorder describes the human costs of alienation from nature, among them: diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties, and higher rates of physical and emotional illnesses. The disorder can be detected in individuals, families, and communities.
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A lot of people think they need to give up nature to become adults but that's not true. However, you have to be careful how you describe and define 'nature.'
Richard LouvRead
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