The connection between c

The connection between c

nature deficit and air q

nature deficit and air 

protection in the U

protection in the U

Kevin J Coyle Kevin J Coyle

National Wildlife Federation National Wildlife Federation
America America’s New Indoor C

s New Indoor C

 American kids no longer American kids no longer 

play together outdoors play together outdoors

 Instead they spend 6.3 Instead they spend 6.3 

hours per hours per daystaring at staring at 

electronic screens electronic screens 

 Not including homework! Not including homework!
A Profound Chan

A Profound Chan

 Estimates are that Estimates are that 

children spend 10X the children spend 10X the amount of time amount of time watching screens watching screens indoors than playing indoors than playing outdoors outdoors

 Loss of social and Loss of social and 

interpersonal skills interpersonal skills 
Weekly Outdoor Ti

Weekly Outdoor Ti

 Unstructured outdoor pl

Unstructured outdoor p

–30 to 50 30 to 50 minutes minutes per wee

per wee

 Add in organized sports

Add in organized sports

–4 hours per week 4 hours per week

 Compare indoor Compare indoor 

“screen

– 

– 44 hours week 44 hours week
Health Profession

Health Profession

 CDC says kids missing CDC says kids missing 

about 60 minutes per about 60 minutes per day of light to moderate day of light to moderate activity activity

 AAP says kids need an AAP says kids need an 

hour per day of hour per day of unstructured play unstructured play

 Affects attention spans Affects attention spans 

and creativity and creativity
The Missing Foundat

The Missing Foundat

Fitness Fitness

 Early onset of diabetes Early onset of diabetes Cardio

-pulmonary pulmonary 

problems problems

 Poorer overall state of Poorer overall state of 

health

 Shorter life Shorter life

-spans – 

– 3 to 

5 years 5 years
Indoor Childhoo

Indoor Childhoo

The enemy of preventat

The enemy of preventat

health care on a vas

health care on a vas

societal scale societal scale 
Disproportionate Im

Disproportionate Im

 Access to organized Access to organized 

activities activities 

 Parent’s sense of safety s sense of safety 

 Reliance on public Reliance on public 

programs programs

 Air pollution and other Air pollution and other 

exposures exposures
National Wildlife Fede

National Wildlife Fede

 Be Out There! Be Out There! –public education ca

public education ca

 Green Hour Green Hour –parent support progra

parent support progra

 Research Research –Eg. Learning . Learning 

“readiness readiness

 Nature

-find –opportunity locator opportunity locator

 Policy agenda Policy agenda –federal and state federal and state 

 Agency, NGO and corporate partner

Agency, NGO and corporate partner
EPA’s Commitment to C

s Commitment to C

Health

 Toxic exposures Toxic exposures Air quality Air quality  Water quality Water quality  Home, school and play Home, school and play
Indoor Air Quali

Indoor Air Quali

 Modified definition Modified definition 

of the 

“ambient ambient 

environment environment

”

 Homes  Schools Schools  Daycare Daycare 
Outdoor Air Qual

Outdoor Air Qua

 New challenge to air New challenge to air 

safety messaging safety messaging

 Alerts Positive aspects of Positive aspects of 

fresh air fresh air 
Solutions: Kids Out

Solutions: Kids Out

 Goal: daily green hour Goal: daily green hour Barriers Barriers  Safe: Opportunities Safe: Opportunities 

–Backyards Backyards– 

– Camps 

–Daycare Daycare–School– 

– Playspaces Playspaces
Policy Agenda Policy Agenda --Exa

Exa

 State NCLI plans to State NCLI plans to 

coordinate coordinate

–Parks and recreation Parks and recreation–Public health Public health– 

– Environmental quality Environmental quality 

–Education Education (NWF policy guide) (NWF policy guide) 

 School wellness plans School wellness plans
EPA Air Quality and Ch

EPA Air Quality and Ch

Health Protection Health Protection Educ

Educ

 Expanded indoor air Expanded indoor air 

education tools education tools 

 Outdoor air quality index Outdoor air quality index 

ties 

 Nexus of clean air and Nexus of clean air and 

natural play spaces natural play spaces

 Informational support of Informational support of 

state NCLI plans state NCLI plans 
EPA Air Quality and Ch

EPA Air Quality and Ch

Health Protection Health Protection Po

 Proposed federal Proposed federal legislation for children legislation for children and outdoors state plans and outdoors state plans Reinforcement of safe Reinforcement of safe 

AQ for schools & AQ for schools & daycare daycare 

 School anti School anti

-idling 

 Other --
Thanks

 www.NWF.org/beoutthere www.NWF.org/beoutthere coylek@nwf.org coylek@nwf.org