Journal Two: Nature Deficit Disorder (Louv), Restorative Environment (Orr)

     Over the past two weeks, we have been discussing the teachings of Richard Louv and David Orr. These two individuals are ideologists and big procurers of biophilia and staying in touch with our environmental surroundings. A total of six groups in the class were assigned some readings, and presented the material in those readings to the class. Each reading was a little different, but the overall umbrella of the information was how humanity seems to be slowly losing touch with the environment. In his writing, Orr says "We will not enter this new kind of sustainability until we allow our children the kind of childhood in which biophilia can put down roots." This quote resonates with me for a number of reasons. It is of the utmost importance that we allow our children to see the outside world and all of the wonders it has to offer, for themselves. Biophilia is something rooted within us all, but also a choice one must make for themselves. Orr stresses the importance of a natural childhood, and not forcing a child into an early adulthood filled with burdens that no child should carry. In another quote, Orr says "Childhood is being impoverished and abbreviated, and the reasons sound like a curriculum in social pathology." Orr goes on to list a plethora of reasons which could contribute to a broken home, such as violence, drugs, alcohol, and many more. I myself was caught in the middle of an unfortunate situation in my childhood and stepped up to provide for my two younger sisters. I was always optimistic and strong, but I can see how pushing these responsibilities onto some children may make them lose faith (for a lack of better words). I never lost touch with my sense of place, which for me was the local parks and valleys up north where I lived as a child. As Orr stresses later on in his writing "I do not know whether it is possible to love the planet or not, but I do know it is possible to love the places we can see, touch, smell, and experience." This is a powerful quote, as it once again shows how important it is to find a sense of place and never lose touch with it. For a child, the local park and climbing trees can be an escape from the daunting reality that is life. When I lived in Rhode Island for seven years in my youth, there was a giant Oak Tree outside of my grandparents house that seemed infinitely tall. My sister and I would spend hours climbing and exploring all of the life that took shelter in that tree. It was as if we were lost in time, and nothing would be able to stop us from reaching impossible limits. As time went on, the tree grew and grew until one day the city deemed it had to be uprooted. The tree may be gone, but my sense of place will live on forever in the memories I made there as a child. So, these readings really connected with my sense of place as I know from firsthand experience how important it is to find a true sense of place as a child. These small things in life are what we live for, and no child should be deprived of that.