the health and learning benefits of green schools for our children

The Health and Learning Benefits of Green Schools forBenefits of Green Schools for

Our Children

Presenter: Tiffany Sauls, MD

Goals and ObjectivesCrises facing children todayIssues affecting schools and the educational systemWhat is a green school?What is a green school? General benefits of green schoolsSpecific benefits of building design, outdoor p g g ,classrooms, green playgrounds, environmental study, exposure to natureExamples of green schoolsExamples of green schoolsSchool as a therapeutic environmentCall to actionQuestions

What do I know?

Trained in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Adult Psychiatry and PediatricsSpecial interest in wilderness therapyStarting a green school for kids with ADHD, behavior problems, learning disabilities, depression, anxiety and social skills problemsAvid outdoor enthusiast

Crises facing our Children

ObesityAsthma/AllergiesADHDMood DisordersImpaired social skillsPoor academic achievementachievement“Nature-deficit disorder”disorder

Nature-Deficit DisorderDiminished use of the senses attentionDiminished use of the senses, attention difficulties, and higher rates of physical and emotional illness due directly to alienation yfrom nature“Our children no longer learn how to read the

t B k f N t f th i di tgreat Book of Nature from their own direct experience or how to interact creatively with the seasonal transformations of the planet. pThey seldom learn where their water comes from or where it goes. We no longer coordinate our human celebration with thecoordinate our human celebration with the great litergy of the heavens.” - Wendell Berry

How Did We Get Here?

More time indoorsIncreased time with electronicsIncreased exposure to environmentalto environmental toxins

Less time outdoorsLess time outdoors and in natureLimited “free play”ted ee p ay

How did we get here?

More time indoors and with electronicswith electronics“I like to play indoors better ‘cause that’s

where all the electrical outlets are”

4th grader in San- 4th grader in San Diego

(from Last Child in the (Woods)

Electronics

Children between 6 months and 6 years spend an average of 1.5 hours/day with electronic mediahours/day with electronic mediaYouth between the ages of 8 and 18 spend an average of 6.518 spend an average of 6.5 hours/day with electronic media(Kaiser Family Foundation, 2005 and 2006)


Increased exposure to environmental toxins

L dLead InhalantsCleaning productsCleaning productsFumes

H did t h ?How did we get here?Limited exposure to outdoors/natureLimited exposure to outdoors/nature

“Here is this vast, savage, howling mother of oursmother of ours,

Nature, lying all around, with such beauty, and such affection for her children,

as the leopard; and yet we are so early weaned from her breast to

society,society, to that culture which is exclusively an interaction of man

on man” H D id Th- Henry David Thoreau

Decreased time outdoors

85% of mothers agree that children play outside less today than just a few years ago70% of mothers report playing outside every day when they were young, compared to only 31% f th i hild (Cl t 2004)31% of their children (Clements, 2004)In a typical week, only 6% of children, ages 9 t 13 l t id th ito 13, play outside on their own

Decreased time outdoors

From 1997 - 2003, there was a 50% drop in kids 9 -12 yrs old who spent time in outdoorwho spent time in outdoor activities such as hiking, walking, fishing, beach play and g, g, p ygardening (Hofferth and Sandberg, 2001; Hofferth and Curtin 2006)Curtin, 2006)Education-based outings at Outdoor Discovery Center in Ou doo sco e y Ce eMichigan are eye-opening

Limited “free play”Play = the spontaneous activity inPlay = the spontaneous activity in which children engage to amuse and to occupy themselvespyPlaytime - especially unstructured, imaginative, exploratory play - is an

ti l t f hildessential component of child developmentChildren no longer “play”Children no longer play


Between 1981 and 1997, free playtime decreased 25%playtime decreased 25%Free play and “discretionary” time declined >9 hrs/week from 1981 - 200330% decrease in bicycle yriding

What happened to free play?Parents driving in circles to takeParents driving in circles to take children to school, after school activities sports events dance classactivities, sports events, dance class, clubs, church and social activities

ObesityRates in children ha e increasedRates in children have increased from 4% in the 60’s to close to 20% in 200420% in 2004A 13 year old girl is 16 pounds heavier today than 30 years agoheavier today than 30 years ago60% of obese children, age 5 -10, have at least one ,cardiovascular disease risk factorJAMA reports an upward trend in p phigh blood pressure in kids 8 - 18

Obesity

Ob itObesityMany health care leaders worry that the currentMany health-care leaders worry that the current generation of children may be the first since World War II to die at an earlier age than their parents.2007 Duke University Child and Well-Being Index:“The most disturbing finding” of the Index is not violence or abductions but “that children’s health hasviolence or abductions, but “that children’s health has sunk to its lowest point in the 30-year history of the Index, driven largely by an alarming rise in the number of children who are obese and a smaller decline in child mortality rates than achieved in recent years.”

AsthmaMost common chronic disorder in childhoodAffects 6 2 million kids under ageAffects 6.2 million kids under age 18; 1 in 10 of all school children 3rd leading cause of hospitalization

hild d 15among children under 15Annual direct health care cost is approx. $11.5 billionAmerican Lung Association found that school children miss more than 14 million school days a year y ybecause of asthma

ADHD

AD/HD is relatively common, AD/HD is relatively common, occurring in roughly 7% of occurring in roughly 7% of schoolschool age children (>2age children (>2schoolschool--age children (>2 age children (>2 million affected in the USA)million affected in the USA)AD/HD is linked to poorAD/HD is linked to poorAD/HD is linked to poor AD/HD is linked to poor academic performanceacademic performanceAD/HD can have longAD/HD can have long--lasting lasting effects on social developmenteffects on social developmentMany coMany co--morbiditiesmorbidities

ADHDADHD

% ever diagnosed (2003)

ADHDAtt ti D fi itAtt ti D fi itAttention Deficit Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) is(AD/HD) is(AD/HD) is (AD/HD) is characterized by severe characterized by severe difficulties with difficulties with inattention andinattention andinattention and inattention and impulsivity.impulsivity.Symptoms include:Symptoms include:Symptoms include: Symptoms include: restlessness, outbursts, restlessness, outbursts, trouble listening, difficulty trouble listening, difficulty f ll i di i df ll i di i dfollowing directions, and following directions, and problems focusing on tasksproblems focusing on tasks

ADHD Treatment

Combination of behavioral therapies andCombination of behavioral therapies andstimulant medicationsstimulant medicationsMedication can have serious side effectsMedication can have serious side effectsThey help only 9 out of 10 children with ADHDThey help only 9 out of 10 children with ADHDy p yy p yThere is no evidence they improve longThere is no evidence they improve long--term term social and academic outcomessocial and academic outcomesCost and alternatives? Cost and alternatives?

Mood Disorders“C lt f d i ”“Culture of depression” Approximately 10% of adolescents (2.2 million) experienced at least one major periodmillion) experienced at least one major period of depression in the past year. Nearly two-thirds of children and adolescents ysuffering from depression also had another mental health disorder (anxiety, substance abuse)abuse)Children and adolescents with major depressive disorder are much more likely todepressive disorder are much more likely to commit suicide.

Goals and ObjectivesGoals and ObjectivesCrises facing children todayCrises facing children todayIssues affecting schools and the educational systemWh t i h l?What is a green school? General benefits of green schoolsSpecific benefits of building design, outdoorSpecific benefits of building design, outdoor classrooms, green playgrounds, environmental study, exposure to natureExamples of green schoolsExamples of green schoolsSchool as a therapeutic environmentCall to actionQuestions

Issues Facing Schools

No Child Left Behind Less time outdoors and in physicallyLess time outdoors and in physically active pursuitsLess exposure to arts music andLess exposure to arts, music and creative pursuitsE h d f t h lEnhanced focus on technologyUnhealthy school buildings

No Child Left Behind

2001 Elementary and Secondary Education ActyAll students required to attain grade-level proficiencyattain grade level proficiency in reading and math by 2014 Focus on standards testingFocus on standards, testing, accountability measures and teacher qualityteacher quality

No Child Left BehindRequires states to set standards andRequires states to set standards and develop assessments and annual measurable benchmarks and requiresmeasurable benchmarks, and requires districts and schools to implement them States must test public schools in readingStates must test public schools in reading and math every year G l f d t l (AYP)Goals for adequate yearly progress (AYP)

NCLB - Positive AspectsTargeted at high poverty low achievingTargeted at high poverty, low achieving schoolsPli ht f ti ’ d d hild iPlight of nation’s underserved children is brought to lightGoal of closing the achievement gap End “the soft bigotry of low expectations” g y p- G. W. Bush

Problems with NCLB

“One size fits all” approachSome students singled out, others ignoredPSSA testing affects self-esteemProgress not rewarded,only “grade-level”

Problems with NCLBEnhanced focus on test scores vs broader vision of educationFocus on reading and math is narrowing educationFocus on reading and math is narrowing education

Reading instruction has gained 40 minutes/weekSocial studies lost 17 minutes/weekScience lost 23 minutes/weekScience lost 23 minutes/week

Arizona Desert Elementary no longer teaches science or social studies as stand-alone subjects.

Resulted in the school going from failing in 2004 to making AYP and earning a high-flying “performing plus” designation by the AZ dept of education p g y p

Problems with NCLBHas not been effectiveHas not been effective30,000 educators and concerned citizens have asked for repealpLawmakers in many states have threatened to opt out of NCLB

Limited exposure to CreativeLimited exposure to Creative Pursuits

1/3 of public-school music programs were dropped in the last 10 years.pp yBUT…Students who studied the arts

>4 years scored 44pts higher on math>4 years scored 44pts higher on math and 59 points higher on verbal section of SATof SAT.

TechnologyTechnology“Fool’s Gold,” “Silicon faith”Moratorium on computer use in early childhood education85 experts in Neurology, Psychiatry and Education, i l di Di R it hincluding Diane Ravitch (former US assistant secretary of Education) and Marilynof Education) and Marilyn Benoit (President elect of AACAP))

School Buildings

20% of Americans go to school everyday14 million students attend schools considered below standard or dangerousAir is “unfit to breathe” in nearly 15,000 schools

School Buildings

“Unfortunately, too many of America’s 55 million elementary through high school students attend schools that are unhealthy andthat are unhealthy and unsound, and inhibit rather than foster learning ” -than foster learning. McElroy, President, American Federation of Teachers

School Buildings

“Children’s health is disproportionately affected by indoor pollutants, while light and air quality affects their capacity to learn and succeed ”affects their capacity to learn and succeed. -Fedrizzi, CEO, U.S. Green Building Council

Higher absenteeismgIncreased respiratory ailmentsLow motivationSl l iSlower learningLower test scoresIncreased medical costsIncreased medical costs

Goals and ObjectivesCrises facing children todayIssues affecting schools and the educational systemWhat is a green school?What is a green school?General benefits of green schoolsSpecific benefits of building design, outdoor p g g ,classrooms, green playgrounds, environmental study, exposure to natureExamples of green schoolsExamples of green schoolsSchool as a therapeutic environmentCall to actionQuestions

Green and Healthy SchoolGreen and Healthy SchoolGreen = adopting behaviors that will

ll h l t t ffi i tl fallow schools to operate efficiently for natural resource conservation, sustainability and create a healthiersustainability and create a healthier environment.

Healthy =human health (nutrition, physical activity, safety)health of the natural environment (cleanhealth of the natural environment (clean air, water, and land) health of constructed environments (classrooms cafeterias and school(classrooms, cafeterias, and school grounds)

Attributes of a Green andAttributes of a Green and Healthy School

1) A team of students, teachers and school administrators who work together to provide safe, healthy learning areasg

2) A building that operates at high performance levels for naturalperformance levels for natural resource conservation and sustainabilitysustainability

Attributes of a Green andAttributes of a Green and Healthy School

3) An outdoor area used for authentic, place-based education

4) Closes the student achievement gap using the environment as an integrated learning context

5) Extends into the community encouraging environmentally-friendly practices at home, work and play

Benefits of green schools

Physical health: obesity, asthma and other respiratory illnessesM t l h lth ADHD d i i lMental health: ADHD, depression, social skills, self-esteemEducational: problem solving academicEducational: problem-solving, academic achievement, creativity Community: better relationships, healthier y p ,natural environment, teaches sustainable practices

Green Building Design

Less toxic materialsImproved ventilation and air qualityp q yNatural lightingSustainable practiceSustainable practice Decreased resource consumption

Benefits of Green Design

Health benefits - asthma, allergies, respiratory illness, cold, fluDecreased absenteeismLowered health care costsImproved school performanceClosing the achievement gapClosing the achievement gap Promotes learning opportunities and environmental stewardshipenvironmental stewardship

Improved Air Quality

25% - 38.5% reduction in asthma51% reduction in respiratory illness51% reduction in respiratory illness (common cold, flu)Decreased health care costs (paid byDecreased health care costs (paid by parents, not schools)

Natural Lighting

Improved test scoresReduced off-taskReduced off task behaviors“More daylightMore daylight fosters higher studentstudent achievement.”

Closing the Achievement Gap

Children in low income families are 30% to 50% more likely to have respiratory y p yproblems that lead to absenteeism and diminished learning and test scoresgGreening public schools creates an opportunity to improve the health andopportunity to improve the health and educational settings for all students

Building Design -Building Design Green Views

Inner-city housing projects in ChicagoPresence of trees outside apartment b ildi di t dbuildings predicted:

less procrastination, better coping skills, and less severe assessment of their problems amongsevere assessment of their problems among women (Kuo, 2001)greater self-discipline among girls (Taylor et al., 2002)2002)reduced crime, less violence and better social relationships (Kuo and Sullivan, 2001)

Building Design -Building Design Green Views

Green plants and natural vistas linked with reduced stress among highly-stressed children in rural areaschildren in rural areasResults most significant where there are the greatest number of plants, green views, andgreatest number of plants, green views, and access to natural play areas (Wells and Evans, 2003)Prison inmates whose cells faced a courtyard had 24% more illness than those who had a view of farmlandview of farmland

Educational Enrichment

Hands-on educational opportunities teach about sustainability:

O it bl tiOn site renewable energy generationWater conservation featuresGreen technologiesGreen technologies

Rep. Darlene Hooley (D-Ore): “By using alternatives to toxic chemicals, pursuing green building and maintenance practices changing resourcemaintenance practices, changing resource consumption habits, serving nutritious food, and teaching students to be steward of their communities, we’ll help put future generations at the forefront ofwe ll help put future generations at the forefront of sustainable development.”

Benefits of outdoorBenefits of outdoor classrooms

Increased opportunity for experiential, hands-on learningN t l i it l d t i tifi l iNatural curiosity leads to scientific learningConnecting to the Earth and nature is therapeutictherapeutic“Green playgrounds” provide opportunity for “free play” p y

Environment as an IntegratedEnvironment as an Integrated Context for Learning (EIC)

Closing the Achievement Gap (1998): School achievement is enhanced when youth experience school curricula in which the environment is theschool curricula in which the environment is the principal organizerImprovements in:

Standardized test scoresStandardized test scoresGrade point averageBehaviorEngagement and enth siasmEngagement and enthusiasmAbility and willingness to stay on taskAdaptability to various learning stylesCi ilit t d thCivility toward others

Experiential Learning

Significant student gains in social studies, science, language arts and mathScience testing scores improved 27% when students involved in outdoor science programs (American Institutes for Research 2005)for Research, 2005)

Green school grounds

Children have increased activity, are more aware of nutrition and more civil to one anotheranotherMore likely to engage in creative forms of play and play more cooperatively (Bell andplay and play more cooperatively (Bell and Dyment, 2006)“Natural spaces and materials stimulate children’s limitless imaginations and serve as the medium of inventiveness and creativity.” -Robin Moore (international authority on environmentRobin Moore (international authority on environment design for children’s play, learning and education)

School Ground Naturalization

“A process involving students, teachers, and often administrators and community volunteers in the collaborative improvementvolunteers in the collaborative improvement of school grounds for the purpose of addressing the healthy physical, social, g y p y , ,emotional, and intellectual development of students.”Sti l t l d l i th i iStimulates play and learning thus improving health and education

Free PlayyBeneficial to learning and developmentChild t tiChildren are smarter, more cooperative, happier and healthierAll hild t i iti t ti it thAllows children to initiate activity rather than waiting for an adult to direct themI d i it d th fInduces curiosity and the use of imagination

Free Play

Enhances cognitive flexibility, problem-solving ability, self-esteem, and self-disciplinePromotes executive functioningImproves social skillsPromotes emotional intelligencegPromotes emotional well-being (depression, anxiety, aggression, sleep)( p , y, gg , p)

Benefits of community involvement and

environmental focusenvironmental focusStronger sense of communityBetter community healthActive involvement of parentspHealthier natural environmentCreation of a sense of placeCreation of a sense of place

Benefits of community involvement and

environmental focusenvironmental focus“Place-based education” - can bond a student to their community and the environment, giving them a sense of belonging and

imeaningPromotes current and future environmental stewardship and protection of our naturalstewardship and protection of our natural resourcesProvides a sense of hope and personalProvides a sense of hope and personal responsibility

Benefits of Nature Exposure

Reduced symptoms of ADHD and other behavior problemsI d lf t d lf thImproved self-esteem and self-worthDecreased depression and anxietyI d iti bilitiImproved cognitive abilitiesImproved physical healthStress reductionStress reduction

Nature Exposure

John Muir - “I am well again, I came to life in the cool winds and crystal waters of the mountains.”Nancy Wells (environmental psychologist at C ll U i it ) “Th t ti i t fCornell University): “The protective impact of nature is strongest for the most vulnerable children those experiencing the highestchildren - those experiencing the highest levels of stressful life events.”

Benefits of Nature Exposure

Environmental psychologists Rachel and Stephen Kaplan have linked contact with nature to restored attention, the promotion of recovery from mental fatigue, and enhanced mental focus (Kaplan & Kaplan 1989; Kaplan 1995)focus (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989; Kaplan, 1995)“Restorative” influences of the natural world

The Restorative Environment

Directed attention (classroom) vs involuntary attention (fascination/wonder)Direct attention fatigue = ADHD“If you can find an environment where the attention is automatic, you allow directed attention to rest.”The “fascination factor” of being immersed in a “whole other world” (nature) is restorative.

Nature exposure

Nature experience linked to better academic performance P i it t i f d d il tProximity to, views of, and daily exposure to natural settings is associated with children’s ability to focus and enhances cognitiveability to focus and enhances cognitive abilities (Wells, 2000) Children with more nature near their home score lower on scales of behavioral conduct disorder, anxiety and depression…and rate themselves higher on self-worththemselves higher on self-worth

Nature and ADHD

Symptoms of ADHD are reduced when children have regular access to the out-of-doorsdoorsUniversity of Illinois study (Faber Taylor et al., 2001; Kuo and Faber Taylor, 2004): the2001; Kuo and Faber Taylor, 2004): the greener a child’s everyday environment, the more manageable their symptoms Parents note fewer symptoms and increased focus immediately following outdoor activities (camping and fishing) vs indoor activities(camping and fishing) vs indoor activities (video games)

Nature and ADHDUnpublished study from the University of IllinoisUnpublished study from the University of Illinois

(Taylor, Kuo):Attention performance for unmedicated kids withAttention performance for unmedicated kids with

ADHD was better after a 20 minute walk in the park vs a 20 minute walk downtown or in a p

residential area.

Wilderness experience

NOLS and Outward Bound - trips are therapeutic for psychological disorders, addiction, developmental and cognitive disabilitiesand cognitive disabilitiesInner city children show increased self-esteem and well-being after spending the summer in rural camps g p g p(Readdick and Shaller, 2005)Adults who participate in wilderness excursions describe “an increased sense of aliveness welldescribe an increased sense of aliveness, well-being, and energy,” and make healthier lifestyle choices afterwards (Greenway, 1995)

Examples of green schoolsExamples of green schools and programs

Evergreen’s Learning Grounds Program (Canada)Third Creek Elementary (St t ill NC)(Statesville, NC)Clearview Elementary S h l (P l i )School (Pennsylvania)Kentucky Green and Healthy Schools ProgramHealthy Schools Program

Evergreen’s LearningEvergreen s Learning Grounds

Evergreen Canada Initiative (Toyota is title sponsor)Established in 1993 to bring students teachersEstablished in 1993 to bring students, teachers and neighborhoods together to transform barren asphalt and turf school grounds into natural outdoor classroomsOver 1,000 schools have enhanced the opportunities for learning and play on theiropportunities for learning and play on their grounds by planting trees, shrubs and wildflowers, planning meadows and ponds, and creating murals sculptures vegetable gardenscreating murals, sculptures, vegetable gardens and other theme areas.

Third Creek Elementary

Country’s first LEED gold K-12 schoolReplaced two lower performing schoolsp p gImprovement from less than 60% of students on grade level in reading and g gmath to 80% on grade level in bothMost gains in academic performance of g pany of the 32 schools in the school system

Clearview Elementary

2002 LEED Gold buildingSubstantial improvements in health andSubstantial improvements in health and test scores19% increase in Student Oral Reading19% increase in Student Oral Reading Fluency scores

KY Green & Healthy SchoolsKY Green & Healthy Schools Program (KGHS)

New, voluntary effort to empower students and staff with the tools needed to take action and make their school operate at peakand make their school operate at peak efficiencyTwo-pronged approachTwo pronged approach

New or renovated schools may include a “green and healthy” design from the startE i ti h l ti i t t d t’ i tExisting schools participate as student’s inventory current school operations and environments and implement action plans to improve school health

d t i bilitand sustainability.

KGHSKGHS21 regional schools have chosen to21 regional schools have chosen to participateWill do improvement projects p p jinvolving

Water, waste, energyH lth d f tHealth and safetyTransportationInstructional leadershippGreen spacesIndoor air quality and hazardous chemicalschemicals

School as a TherapeuticSchool as a Therapeutic Environment

Green schools could be used a tool for treatment of many childhood disorders:

ObesityADHDMood DisordersSocial skills problemsp

Therapeutic SchoolsChildren with mental health issues are seen “one-at-a-time” by pediatricians and psychiatristsInterventions such as therapy and medications areInterventions such as therapy and medications are falling shortPerhaps our focus is off: “We are trying to return the

t ff t d t il f l ti di t ib ti t thmost affected tail of population distribution to the mean, rather than recognizing that the entire population needs to move toward mental well-being b i i l th di ff t d hift th t lbringing along the disaffected - a shift that can only occur by shaping the environment at large.”(Jackson, 2008)

Physical Health

The Nation’s Health (Oct 2007): “For public health workers, the effects of

d t i d lif t l l dsedentary indoor lifestyles are already evident among children: startling rates of obesity, the onset of one-time adultobesity, the onset of one time adult conditions such as diabetes and a shortened life expectancy. Thankfully, though, the

t t t kid ith t hmovement to reconnect kids with nature has seen a rejuvenation in the last few years, and experts predict that good health will be a e pe s p ed c a good ea be amajor motivator in bringing families back to nature.”

Mental HealthMental HealthUK study (April 2007): showed benefits of “greenUK study (April 2007): showed benefits of green treatment” (ecotherapy)

71% of those with mental health disorders report decrease in depression or tension after taking adecrease in depression or tension after taking a walk in the woods or gardening

Mind (UK National Association for Mental Health), hi f ti “Mi d thchief executive: “Mind sees ecotherapy as an

important part of the future for mental health. It’s a credible, clinically-valid treatment option and needs to b ib d b GP’ i ll h fbe prescribed by GP’s, especially when for many people access to treatments other than antidepressants is extremely limited.”

Therapeutic GardensExperiential learning through gardening and other nature connections can be therapeutictherapeuticMental health pioneer Dr. Benjamin Rush - “Digging in the soil has a gg gcurative effect on the mentally ill.”Frumkin (CDC): “Perhaps we will

d i ti t t t k f d iadvise patients to take a few days in the country, to spend time gardening.”Psychiatry pioneer Carl Menninger -Psychiatry pioneer Carl Menninger -horticulture therapy movement

Therapeutic Schools

University of Illinois study on ADHD and Nature (Taylor, Kuo, Sullivan; 2001) recommendations:recommendations:

Encourage kids to study or play in rooms with a view of natureEncourage kids to play outdoors in green spaces, and advocate recess in green schoolyards. This may be especially helpful for renewing children’smay be especially helpful for renewing children s concentration.Plant and care for trees and vegetation…; caring for trees means caring for peoplefor trees means caring for people.

Free (play) Therapy

Free play = therapyCultivates a range of social and gemotional capabilities, i.e. “emotional intelligence”

EmpathyFlexibilitySelf-awarenessSelf-regulation

Free (play) Therapy

Studies in adults link physical activity to:Diminished depressive symptomsDecreased anxiety acutely and over timeImproved mood and emotional well-being

“Learning at a critical period in development that play and movement relieves stress and enhances mood may help children sustainenhances mood may help children sustain physical activity patterns over their lifetime.” -Burdette (2005)Burdette (2005)

Healthy Schools

James Sallis (Active Living Research Program for Robert Wood Johnson Foundation): “Based on previous studies we can definitely say that the bestprevious studies, we can definitely say that the best predictor of preschool children’s physical activity is simply being outdoors, and that an indoor, sedentary childhood is linked to mental health problems.”Start with pre-schools for healthy development

School as a TherapeuticSchool as a Therapeutic Environment

Howard Frumkin, MD, MPH, DrPH, director of the CDC National Center for Environmental Health

“Perhaps the…organizations that pay for health care will come to fund suchhealth care will come to fund such interventions, especially if they prove to rival pharmaceuticals in cost and efficacy.”Frumkin agrees that we need more research on the relationship between nature experiences and health but “We knowexperiences and health, but, We know enough to act.”

What Do We Do?

“The decline in children’s experience of nature will not change until a fundamental shift occurs in attitudes and practices ofoccurs in attitudes and practices of developers, designers, educators, political leaders, and ordinary citizens. The enormous , ychallenge facing us is how to minimize and mitigate the adverse environmental impacts of the modern built environment and how toof the modern built environment and how to provide more positive opportunities for contact with nature among children and adults as an integral part of everyday life.”

- Dr. Stephen R. Kellert, Building for Life

Call to Action

Last Child in the Woods, by Richard Louv, published 2005April 24, 2006: Louv calls for a nationwide campaign to “Leave No Child Inside” and a movement to reconnect children with naturechildren with natureLeave No Child Inside vs. No Child Left Behind

No Child Left InsideNo Child Left InsideApril 2006 - Children and Nature Network (C&NN)

t bli h d t b ild d t th “L N Childestablished to build and support the “Leave No Child Inside” movementMore than 40 state and regional campaigns -More than 40 state and regional campaigns -Adirondacks, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Chicago, San Francisco Bay Area, Connecticut, Florida, Colorado, Georgia, New York, Texas, British Columbia, Netherlands…

Children and NatureChildren and Nature Movement Principles

Parents, guardians, educators, health care professionals and other individuals responsible for the welfare of children, must know about the health,the welfare of children, must know about the health, emotional and cognitive benefits of nature for childrenParents and other positive adults (teachers) must be intentional about taking children into natureintentional about taking children into nature The benefits of the nature experience for children and families must be part of the international, national and

it d b t b t th f t f h lthcommunity debates about the future of health care and public health, education, economics, and the health of natural ecosystems

National Forum on ChildrenNational Forum on Children and Nature

Conservation FundGovernors mayors cabinetGovernors, mayors, cabinet secretaries, corporate CEO’s, non-government organizationsnon government organizationsHelp raise awareness about the problems facing our childrenproblems facing our children and the role that nature can play in addressing these problemsin addressing these problems

Call to Action

“Concerns about long-term consequences -affecting emotional well-being, physical health learning abilities environmentalhealth, learning abilities, environmental consciousness - have spawned a national movement to ‘leave no child inside.’ In recent months, it has been the focus of Capitol Hill hearings, state legislative action, grassroots projects a U S Forest Service initiative to getprojects, a U.S. Forest Service initiative to get more children into the woods and a national effort to promote a ‘green hour’ in each day.”-Washington Post, June, 2007

Legislative ActionLegislative ActionOutdoor Classroom initiative approved in New M iMexicoLeave No Child Inside initiative by Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire allocates $1.5 million/year to g youtdoor programs working with underserved childrenCalifornia has established long-term funding for outdoor education and recreation programs servingoutdoor education and recreation programs serving at-risk youthNationally: New caucus in the US House of Representatives to raise awareness of and promoteRepresentatives to raise awareness of and promote the benefits of green schoolsNationally: No Child Left Inside Act introduced in the H d S t d i d t b i i t lHouse and Senate, designed to bring environmental education back to the classroom

Program SupportParents don’t act because of fearParents don t act because of fear (“stranger danger”) and “generational amnesia”Need to support organizations and institutions that help reconnect children with nature:children with nature:

Green schoolsCampspOutdoor education programsScoutsN t tNature centers

Local GovernmentLocal GovernmentCould help launch a Leave No Child Inside pcampaign in our areaLegislators can introduce bills to establish nature

d i hi k d h leducation partnerships among parks and schools, educators and farmersBuild collaborations between the Departments ofBuild collaborations between the Departments of Interior, Education, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services that focus on children and nature

Education ReformR t t t h lReturn nature to our schools

Encourage field trips, natural playgrounds, outdoor classroomsoutdoor classrooms

Support educators who are sponsoring nature clubs, nature classroom activities, and nature , ,field tripsSupport environmental education in the l d i ti l l i tdclassroom and experiential learning outdoors

Support existing and new nature-themed schoolsschools

Education ReformGreen the schoolyards and the K-12 curricula

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Schoolyard Habitat programHabitat programProject Learning Tree and Project WILD

Establish farms and ranches as “the new schoolyards” (New Mexico is looking into this already)W k f f f th N Child L ft B hi dWork for reform of the No Child Left Behind Act, at the national, state and local levels

Health Care Reform

Educate the population on how the environment can improve healthH lth id h ld t bli hHealth care providers should establish children’s contact with nature as a leading public health issuepublic health issuePediatricians and other health professionals could support a “Grow Outside!” campaign to promote the physical and mental health benefits of nature play.

Health Care Reform

At the national level, health care associations should support nature therapy as an addition to the traditional approaches to attention-deficit disorders and childhood depression.F l i t l di d tFree play in natural surroundings and nature therapy would be most easily incorporated into a school day at a “green school ”into a school day at a green school.

Spread the Word!

Offer presentations to school boards, parent-teacher associations and p

similar groups, making the case for the educational benefits of nature experience for children and young

people.p p

Research

Interest in the relationship of nature experiences to human health, cognition, creativity and well being is growingcreativity and well-being is growingNeed to conceptually expand areas of study for future researchfor future researchEconomic studies of the regional and national impact of the nature-deficit

Measure potential health savingsImproved school performanceFinancial impact of expanded nature recreation forFinancial impact of expanded nature recreation for children and young people

Research - Economic

Establish ways to measure the economic importance of nature

I l d th iti i i t thInclude the positive economic impact on the public’s mental and physical health, education, and jobs

Establish baseline measurements of the nature deficit, so that progress can be measured and reportedmeasured and reportedInclude annual progress measurements in new or existing reports on children’s health g pand educational status

Research*While most research has been done on

adults, a growing body of evidence suggests the positive power of nature engagement during the most vulnerable years of human development*

Take Home MessageO lti t l i d lt lOur ultimate goal is deep cultural

change, connecting children to nature, so that they can be

healthier, happier and smarter., pp

Case StudyCase StudyThe back page of the October issue of San

Francisco magazine displays a vivid photograph of a small boy, eyes wide with excitement and joy leaping and running on aexcitement and joy, leaping and running on a great expanse of California beach, storm clouds and towering waves behind him. A short article explains that the boy was hyperactive, he had been kicked out of his school and his parents had not know what toschool, and his parents had not know what to do with him - but they observed how nature engaged and soothed him. So for years they t k th i t b h f t d dtook their son to beaches, forests, dunes and rivers to let nature do its work.

Case Study

The photograph was taken in 1907.The boy was Ansel AdamsThe boy was Ansel Adams.

Questions

References1) Bell A C and Dyment J E “Grounds for Action: Promoting Physical1) Bell, A.C. and Dyment, J.E. Grounds for Action: Promoting Physical

Activity through School Ground Greening in Canada.” 2006 Evergreen.

2) Burdette, H.L., MD, MS; and Whitaker. R.C., MD, MPH. “Resurrecting Free Play in Young Children: Looking Beyond Fitness and Fatness to Attention, Affiliation and Affect.” Arch Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. 2005; 159:46-50.

3) “California Student Assessment Project Phase Two: The Effects of ) jEnvironment-Based Education on Student Achievement.” SEER: Poway, CA, 2005. Available at www.seer.org

4) Charles, C., Louv, R., Bodner, L., and Guns, B. (2008). Children and Nature 2008: A Report on the Movement to Reconnect Children toNature 2008: A Report on the Movement to Reconnect Children to the Natural World. Children and Nature Network. Available at: http://www.cnaturenet.org

5) “Effects of Outdoor Education Programs for Children in California.” American Institutes for Research: Palo Alto CA: 2005 Available onAmerican Institutes for Research: Palo Alto, CA: 2005. Available on the Sierra Club web site.

References6) Frumkin, H, MD and Louv, R. “Conserving Land; Preserving Human

Health.” Land Trust Alliance - Special Report in The Future of Land Conservation in America; 23-25.

7) Jackson R J MD MPH and Tester J MD MPH “Environment7) Jackson, R.J., MD, MPH and Tester, J., MD, MPH. Environment Shapes Health, Including Children’s Mental Health.” JAACAP, 2008; 47(2), 129-31.

8) Kats, Gregory (2006). Greening America’s Schools: Costs and Benefits. Available at: http://www.cap-e.com

9) Kellert, Stephen R. “Nature and Childhood Development.” In Building for Life: Designing and Understanding the Human-Nature Connection. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2005.g , ,

10) Kuo, F.E. and Taylor, A.F. “A Potential Natural Treatment for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Evidence from a National Study.” In American Journal of Public Health, 94(9). 2004. American Public Health AssociationAmerican Public Health Association.

ReferencesReferences

11) Lieberman G A and Hoody L L “Closing the Achievement Gap:11) Lieberman, G.A. and Hoody, L.L. Closing the Achievement Gap: Using the Environment as an Integrating Context for Learning.” SEER: Poway, CA, 1998. “California Student Assessment Project.” SEER: Poway, CA, 2000. Available at: www.seer.org

12) Louv Richard Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from12) Louv, Richard. Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. 2005.

13) “Nature Nurtures: Investigating the Potential of School Grounds.” 2000 Evergreen. www.evergreen.ca

14) Taylor, A.F., Kuo, F. “Is Contact with Nature Important for Healthy Child Development? State of the Evidence.” In Spencer, C & Blades, M (Eds), Children and Their Environments: Learning, Using and Designing Spaces. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, g g p g , g y ,2006.

ReferencesReferences15) Taylor, A.F., Kuo, F., and Sullivan, W.C. (2001). Coping with ADD:

The Surprising Connection to Green Play Settings. Environment andBehavior, 33(1), 54-77. Available at: http://www.lhhl.uiuc.edu

16) Taylor, A.F., Kuo, F., and Sullivan, W.C. (2001). “Views of Nature andS lf Di i li E id f I Cit Child ” I Th J l fSelf-Discipline: Evidence from Inner City Children.” In The Journal of Environmental Psychology, 21.

17) Wallis, C. and Steptoe, S. “How to Fix No Child Left Behind,” Education Special Report Time Magazine; 169 (23) 34-41Education Special Report. Time Magazine; 169 (23), 34-41.

18) Wells, N.M. “At Home with Nature: Effects of ‘Greenness’ on Children’s Cognitive Functioning.” Environment and Behavior, 32(6), 775-795.

19) Wells, N.M. and Evans, G.W. “Nearby Nature: A Buffer of Life Stress Among Rural Children.” Environment and Behavior, 35(3), 311-330.

Additional ResourcesChild d N t N t kChildren and Nature Network

www.cnaturenet.orgThe Sheltowee SchoolThe Sheltowee School www.sheltoweeschool.orgKY Green and Healthy Schools InitiativeKY Green and Healthy Schools Initiative www.greenschools.ky.govGreen SchoolsGreen Schools www.buildgreenschools.orgLife Adventure Centerwww.lifeadventurecenter.org

For more information

Contact Tiffany Sauls, MDat tsaulsmd@gmail comat [email protected]

or call 859-489-7106

the health and learning benefits of green schools for our children

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