Come Alive Outside

COME ALIVE OUTSIDE: INCENTIVIZING WELLNESS THROUGH THE JOY OF BEING OUTDOORS

American children today spend roughly half as much time outside as they did in 1980.

Adults spend an average of over 8 hours per day sitting down and over 10 hours a day looking at screens. Children between the ages of 8 and 18 get over 7 hours of screen time every day and are growing up in a world where nature is becoming an ever more abstract concept. This is the new normal.

The structure of modern life is increasingly driving behaviors that are not conducive to our health and well-being, and one of the most alarming lifestyle shifts in the past 50 years is the growing separation between people and nature. Spending time outdoors in a natural or green environment is profoundly important to our health and well-being.

Imagine if there were a pill that could increase children’s focus and academic performance, lower stress and symptoms of depression, increase physical activity, lower blood pressure, and boost your creativity. A substantial body of research on the benefits of spending time in nature has shown evidence for all of these positive effects. Especially with the increased competition for our attention from digital media devices, it is imperative that we are intentional about creating time to be outside, active and mindful of nature.

Come Alive Outside (CAO) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to this mission and the vision of a world where people enjoy the full benefits of great outdoor spaces where they live, work and play.