Society’s Disconnect from Nature mömo Cathy Wang, Chloe Thai, Julea Chin, & Sara Olsson
Interviews 8 interviewees ● 2 Swedish international students ● 2 working professionals ● 2 undergrads ● 2 grad students
Insights from Serena ● There is a differentiation between outdoors & nature (for some people) ● Views wildlife as the most important part of nature ● Cute animals (like turtles) can motivate people to change their behavior ● Peer pressure is a way to motivate people to get outdoors ● Parents can instill a love or fear of nature/the outdoors in their children ● Nature can be fearsome and intimidating ● Experienced guides make people feel safer when visiting nature ● Some people don’t believe visiting nature is worth the effort … how can we reduce this activation energy ? ● Seeing firsthand effects of humans on wildlife was a catalyst for her to change her behavior (visited turtle rehabilitation center → motivated to stop using plastic straws) ● Outdoor activities are also bonding moments with friends (for Serena, fostering relationships is more important than physical/mental health benefits)
Ronja Say Think “I know there is Realizes she cares Bullet journals for She could spend more research about [the about nature but “I am driven a lot by spending time outside time outdoors, but relationship between doesn’t spend a lot of curiosity towards would be a good idea why doesn’t she? nature and health” time outdoors nature” 4ocean is an Her appreciation Knows that there is [A big nature interessting “The biggest challenge in for nature affects research relating being challenge is to...] eco-friendly “Not often... can’t nature today is getting her behavior outdoors + boost in “Get humans to brand she would even remember” humans to understand physical & mental understand the support (the last time she the problem” health problem” went outdoors) She believes her individual acts make a difference Do Feel Is a nature-lover Doesn’t use Cuts up old towels Feels emotional seeing Stopping in apps/tech to use as makeup the impact of humans on everyday life to related to nature remover pads animals Reads about nature Appreciates the little appreciate nature Happiness spending time projects such as things in nature - such as in a hammock with her collecting plastic from a fascinating stone or a dad as a kid Makes crafts Nature is the ocean and makes beautiful tree /decorations out beautiful bracelets from them Last time truly of stones + paint Feels sad and more outdoors was Grew up playing interested in last Christmas in woods Hates seeing “micropauses” environment after Sees herself as a (running, hiding) trash in nature Does an outdoor seeing pics of animals person who takes her activity every other trapped by plastic responsibility towards month nature Stopped using Uses Google & social one-time use items; media to learn about Does feel good uses glass water bottle environment after visiting Gave a stone and metal straws; nature as a gift refillable shampoo
Insights from Ronja ● Views herself as a person who has a responsibility towards nature ● Belief that individual acts can make a difference in the environment ● Someone can care a lot about nature yet spend little to no time outdoors ● Pictures of animals being affected by human actions are impressionable and motivating ● Existence of beauty in the small details of nature, e.g. a fascinating stone or pretty tree ● Gave a stone as a gift to someone before - values nature’s uniqueness and beauty and wanted to share that experience ● “Micropauses ” - a small break taken to appreciate nature ● Although she grew up playing in nature, she now only appreciates nature during her daily micropauses. Due to travel time, transportation, and planning, she visits the true outdoors much less frequently.
Susanne Say Think People care about “We could persuade issues right after being Thinks immediate reminders, “My awareness of an issue people that it is selfish educated on the topic personal feedback, daily goes in waves: I can “Humans are routines are important to to do what’s needed for watch a documentary and vulnerable, change behavior start caring a lot, then our survival on Earth” not the earth” after 1-2 weeks I fall Gamification of back” environmental issues Government should could be a solution It’s possible to set up better “American people like “With the climate affect people incentives to be “As long as it’s the terminology of changes, we’ll make the with media eco-friendly not convenient, being “outdoorsy” earth uninhabitable for us I’ll continue to humans” Not caring about take the car” the environment now will hurt Sees benefit from Her individual humans in the end educating herself on actions matter these topics Do Feel Wants to compost but Spends <5% of doesn’t have supplies her day Tries not to Drives to work to do so Interest in an outdoors Currently, it’s not easy waste food (Mountain View issue fades enough to be to Palo Alto) over time “eco-friendly” everyday Works at a Purposefully lives Waiting for media lab If Caltrain had close to work to government to set less issues, Grew up close lower carbon up restrictions Feels there's an would choose to nature footprint expectation that that over driving you should enjoy Watches being outdoors documentaries Feels that she’s Recycles at about nature Empathetic for those still connected to home & work unable to be nature from “eco-friendly” due to growing up The climate cost issues changes are overshadowed by “more current” news
Insights from Susanne ● For some people there is a need of political regulations to incentivize behavior ● Talking about (or visualizing) things from a new perspective could be helpful. Instead of taking care of the environment for the sake of the planet, make it clear that we do it for ourselves. ● Gamification of environmental issues could be a part of a solution, since it can provide personal feedback and become part of a daily routine ● We need a way to tackle the issue where awareness of an issue goes in waves; like caring a lot for a short period of time ( after reading news or watching a documentary ) and then fall back into bad habits again. ● In the news feed, the climate changes are constantly overshadowed by “more current news that need more rapid actions (political elections, cases for the justice courts..)” - and how can we break throw the information overload? ●
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