HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011 01 04 Reports - Other MONA Letter Distributed By Mike Mingea Date: January 4, 2011
The following document was distributed to the
Beautification of Winter Springs Board
Members by Mr. Mike Mingea, Arborist, Urban
Beautification Services Division, Community
Development Department during the January 4,
2011 Meeting and is referred to under Reports.
DATE: WILL SEND LN 112 CONGRESS TO NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE
Chairman Ranking Minority Member
Natural Resources Committee Natural Resources Committee
United States House of Representatives United States House of Representatives
•
Dear
As a diverse alliance of conservation, hunting and angling, park and recreation, health,
youth serving, community -based and other organizations, we write to respectfully urge you to
support the Moving Outdoors in Nature Act (MONA).
MONA will improve our children's health, support economic growth and strengthen the
future of conservation in America by reconnecting our children, youth and families with the
natural world through innovative state strategies that connect communities with green spaces,
provide opportunities for outdoor recreation, and engage the health community in educating
parents and caregivers. MONA will also foster the creation of a similar federal strategy and
advance related research.
Children today spend less time outdoors than any generation in human history, devoting
just four to seven minutes a day on average in unstructured outdoor play while spending an
average of seven and a half hours every day in front of electronic media. While this is a
troubling trend for the future of conservation in America, our economy, the health of our
children, the well -being of our communities, and even our nation's military readiness are also at
stake. Over the last 20 years, childhood obesity has doubled, adolescent obesity has tripled, and
instances of ADHD have increased. The childhood obesity epidemic's impact on our health care
system, coupled with declining sales of hunting licenses and waning visitation to public lands,
will have an increasingly negative impact on our economy, especially on industries and regions
that rely on outdoor recreation and tourism.
MONA will get kids spending more active time outdoors in nature, helping to meet the
goals of addressing the childhood obesity epidemic, strengthening the economy, and shaping a
new conservation ethic for the 21 century. Experiencing our nation's natural splendor
contributes to healthier lives and a deeper appreciation for the outdoors for all Americans.
It is imperative to establish new incentives that incorporate comprehensive approaches to
reconnecting our children with the natural world. We hope you will join us in supporting the
Moving Outdoors in Nature Act. If you have any questions, please have your staff contact
Patrick Fitzgerald at fitzgeraldp @nwf.org or (202) 797 -6821. Thank you for considering this
request.
Sincerely,
National and Regional Organizations:
Children and Nature Network Outdoor Foundation
Izaak Walton League of America REI
National Recreation and Park Association Sierra Club
National Wildlife Federation YMCA of the USA
State and Local Organizations: