Richard Louv | The New Nature Movement
Sunday, February 21, 2016 at 7pm
Presented by Journey Montessori School, The Santa Fe Waldorf School, and the Lensic.
Tickets are available at the Lensic Box Office, in person, by phone at 505-988-1234, or online.
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“The future will belong to the nature-smart—those individuals, families, businesses, and political leaders who develop a deeper understanding of the transformative power of the natural world and who balance the virtual with the real. The more high-tech we become, the more nature we need.”
—Richard Louv
Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv’s influential book about the staggering divide between children and the outdoors, directly links the lack of nature in the lives of today’s wired generation—he calls it nature-deficit—to some of the most disturbing childhood trends, such as the rises in obesity, attention disorders, and depression.
Last Child in the Woods is the first book to bring together a new and growing body of research indicating that direct exposure to nature is essential for healthy childhood development and for the physical and emotional health of children and adults. More than just raising an alarm, Louv offers practical solutions and simple ways to heal the broken bond—and many are right in our own backyard. Through his works, Louv has spurred a national dialogue among educators, health professionals, parents, developers and conservationists. Through his books and talks, Richard Louv will change the way you think about your future and the future of your children.
In The Nature Principle, Louv delivers another powerful call to action—this time for adults. Supported by groundbreaking research, anecdotal evidence, and compelling personal stories, Louv identifies seven basic concepts that can help us reshape our lives. By tapping into the restorative powers of nature, we can boost mental acuity and creativity; promote health and wellness; build smarter and more sustainable businesses, communities, and economies; and ultimately strengthen human bonds.
Louv makes a convincing case that we are entering the most creative period in history, that in fact the twenty-first century will be the era of human restoration in the natural world. This encouraging and influential work offers renewed optimism while challenging us to rethink the way we live.
About Richard Louv
Richard Louv is a journalist and author of eight books, including Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder and The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with Life in a Virtual Age. His books have been translated into 13 languages and published in 17 countries, and helped launch an international movement to connect children and their families to nature.
He is co-founder and Chairman Emeritus of the Children & Nature Network, an organization helping build the international movement to connect people and communities to the natural world. With artist Robert Bateman, he serves as honorary co-chair of Canada’s Child in Nature Alliance.
As a journalist and commentator, he has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Times of London, Orion, Outside and other newspapers and magazines. He was a columnist for The San Diego Union-Tribune and Parents magazine.
He appears frequently on national radio and television programs, including the Today Show, CBS Evening News, and NPR’s Fresh Air, and often addresses national and international gatherings. In 2010, he delivered the plenary keynote at the national conference of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and in 2012 was keynote speaker at the first White House Summit on Environmental Education.
He has served as a visiting scholar for Clemson University and Brandeis University’s Heller School for Social Policy and Management. He is a member of the editorial board of the journal, Ecopsychology; serves on the board of directors of ecoAmerica, is a member of the Citistates Group, and is a founding partner, with C&NN, ecoAmerica and the Nature Conservancy of Nature Rocks.
In 2008, he received the Audubon Medal; past recipients include Rachel Carson, E.O. Wilson and Jimmy Carter. Among other awards, Louv received the 2008 San Diego Zoological Society Conservation Medal, the 2008 George B. Rabb Conservation Medal from the Chicago Zoological Society, the 2009 International Making Cities Livable Jane Jacobs Award, the 2007 Cox Award, Clemson University’s highest honor for “sustained achievement in public service.”
His most recent book, The Nature Principle, is a 2012 Nautilus Award Gold Winner.