Internet Use Keeping People Away from National Parks

You know, when I was but a wee, young nerd, my parents frequently wondered aloud if I would put down the Apple II and the Ultima games and just go outside for a change. (I did, but it was tough.)

Now all those nerds like me have grown up. And it turns out: They're still stuck inside.

The U.S. National Parks system is blaming the Internet (and other media consumption) on a steady decline in visitors (at up to 3 percent per year) that has now gone on for 20 straight years.

Virtually all outdoor activities have been affected, according to a study by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

This is actually the second time the publication has tackled the issue of declining wilderness attendance. This time, the authors have taken pains to address earlier criticism of their results.

For example, high admission fees, crumbling exhibits, and rising gas prices might also be contributing to the reasons why people aren't visiting Yellowstone in record numbers anymore. But the new study tracks the trend across multiple countries and locations, and everything is headed down, almost without exception.

While we can argue about the root cause for the decline, the fact of the matter is it's still happening. In fact, the study goes so far as to blame the environmental crisis on the fact that people don't go outside, and thus don't know what they're  collectively ruining. "Greenness" is apparently well-correlated with outdoor activity.

So with all that in mind, I'm off for Lake Tahoe today so I can do a little communing of my own with Mother Nature (and her ski slopes). I'll be back to blogging come Sunday evening.

Meanwhile: Isn't it time you put down the laptop and took a stroll down to your local park? Looks like it won't be crowded.

LINK: Internet killing park visits, raising conservation worries