Congress May be Next to Say, “Go Outside and Play”
Friday, December 3, 2010
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Seven hours in front of electronic entertainment, and seven minutes outside. That's what constitutes play for most kids, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation study. That lack of outdoor activity is being cited as one of the reasons for rising childhood obesity, in legislation recently introduced in Congress. The Moving Outdoors in Nature Act would encourage states to collaborate with communities, businesses, and parents to increase outdoor activities.
Patrick Fitzgerald with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) says this act aims to increase access to outdoor activities for kids.
"These state strategies could look at things like walking and biking to school. They could take a look at the school system and after-school programs and seeing how we can have time for outdoor play and outdoor activities."
Fitzgerald says getting outdoors is important for the economy, especially in parts of the state where hunting is prevalent.
"With the decline that we're seeing in hunting participation, that has an impact on the state agencies that sell hunting licenses, and also the companies that sell that equipment."
NWF, the Sierra Club and the YMCA are also supporting the legislation, which has been introduced in the U.S. House.
Kaiser Family Foundation research at www.kff.org/entmedia/internet.cfm.
get more stories like this via email
United Nations experts are raising concerns about chemical giants DuPont and Chemours, saying they've violated human rights in North Carolina…
Social Issues
The long-delayed Farm Bill could benefit Virginia farmers by renewing funding for climate-smart investments, but it's been held up for months in …
Environment
Conservation groups say the Hawaiian Islands are on the leading edge of the fight to preserve endangered birds, since climate change and habitat loss …
Environment
April has been "Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month," but the pests don't know that. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it's the …
Health and Wellness
The 2024 Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium Public Conference kicks off Saturday, where industry experts and researchers will share the latest scientific …
Environment
Environmental groups say more should be done to protect people's health from what they call toxic, radioactive sludge. A court granted a temporary …