It's clear that nature provides a benefit to children. That's a very good question. I think ultimately the benefit that the environment has is that children who spend time in nature, who learn about nature, develop a deep appreciation for nature and understand that they are connected to nature. And so, with that understanding, they know that they need to protect those resources, they need to protect their water source and their air and fuel in order to protect their own lives. There's a direct connection between their life, their health, and the health of the environment.
Childhood is where that appreciation starts.
It's where that first awareness begins, and it can blossom as they move into adulthood. Well, definitely, my childhood and the times that I spent out in nature made a big impact on me. I spent several summers up in Washington in the country in a small valley in the Cascade Mountains. We had about a hundred acres of land that was along a river. I spent many hours wandering around by myself on that land, swimming in the river.