The nature principle : human restoration and the end of nature-deficit disorder

 by Richard Louv. Louv struck a resounding chord in the best-selling Last Child in the Woods (2005) when he identified nature-deficit disorder, a debilitating syndrome affecting children who spent scant time playing outdoors. But what about adults? Louv distills his latest findings about our lifelong need for direct experience of nature into another essential concept, the Nature Principle, which holds that reconnection to the natural world is fundamental to human health, well-being, spirit, and survival. A prodigious researcher and inspired interpreter and synthesizer, Louv offers a finely crafted interdisciplinary argument to support this claim, drawing on eye-opening scientific and medical studies as well as the timeless observations of poets. Louv profiles such trailblazers as public-health expert Howard Frumkin and South Central L.A. ecoactivist Juan Martinez as well as citizen naturalists who are strengthening our understanding of the crucial connections between human, economic, and ecosystem health. As he cogently explains why time spent in nature is quantifiably therapeutic, Louv reminds us that nature is everywhere and that the simplest of engagements with nearby nature, such as taking a walk or admiring a tree, are immensely restorative to mind and body. Louv's vital, inclusive, and inspiriting call to better our lives by celebrating and protecting the living world marks the way to profound personal and cultural transformation. --Booklist (Check catalog)