Ultra-endurance events are seeing a considerable spike in popularity as athletes look to redefine the traditional tests of strength and stamina.
Curious about calories? Then you might want to check out a new text messaging service by Diet.com called “Nutrition on the Go.”
Scan your living room. Are your rows of DVDs beginning to
overtake your book collection? Is your TV screen bigger than any piece of art
on your walls? Do you believe TiVo is the greatest invention of modern times?
If so, you might be a videophiliac.
I know I am. It’s a sad confession for a self-proclaimed nature lover. Time on the couch is tragically claiming hours once spent enjoying the outdoors. Don’t get me wrong, I still get out a lot. But on those days when my TiVo list starts overflowing with recorded programs that are dangerously close to deletion, I feel a compulsion to tune in and set them free from my entertainment center.
The sad irony is I specifically enjoy broadcasts and DVDs of outdoor sports and nature shows. BBC’s Planet Earth series on DVD is a weekend-long visual bender for me. Sure, I could go climb a nearby peak, but there’s zero chance I’ll catch a glimpse of a snow leopard in the Shenandoah. Why go sea kayaking when I could stay home and watch a shark feeding frenzy in super slow motion?
In a perfect world, I’m enhancing my appreciation of nature through television. In reality, there are only so many hours one can devote to free time and every minute committed to the couch is one lost on outdoor pursuits.
The greater concern among outdoor recreation advocates is the growing disconnect with nature. The Nature Conservancy raised the issue in 2006 with a study that claimed more kids are “choosing TV over trees.” In response to the sharp decline in U.S. national park visits in recent years, the study tested more than two dozen variables to find the causes. Along with rising fuel prices, the study shows that video games, movie rentals, Internet use and going out to the movies explained nearly 98 percent of the decline.
The organization recently updated its outlook on interest in the outdoors with a study that claims there has been an 18 to 25 percent per capita drop in nature recreation since 1991. You don’t have to go far to see the impact. Shenandoah National Park has seen annual attendance drop by nearly 50 percent since the mid 1990s.
Granted, there are plenty of real-life reasons why escaping into nature can be a challenge. Oil prices are hitting record numbers even as the roads seem increasingly clogged with traffic and employers aren’t showing any interest in cutting back working hours any time soon.
The more insidious issue lies in the virtual world. You may never climb Everest, but no DVD will give you the sensation of the sun hitting your face and the wind whipping your core as you summit a mountain. No race coverage can mimic the intensity of pushing yourself to the brink during a run, ride or paddle. Anyone can tune into an adventure. Only you can create one that’s all your own.
Bruce Buckley, Editor
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