Recently a trend that starting popping up on my Facebook and Twitter feed involves a series of articles and studies on how Millennials are having a hard time engaging with nature. A few articles such as National Geographic try and create a picture that the millennial generation needs a different encouragement to engage and visit National Parks. Others such Business Insider just say that Millennials simply don't care about nature. I thought I would just give my two cents on the subject while trying to be as civil as possible.
For starters let's start with the obvious which is the socioeconomic position that Millennials are in. Many people in this current generation are struggling to find jobs and to support housing etc. If you do happen to get a job it's often one that doesn't pay a lot and demands a lot of your time. So in my opinion one of the main reasons why Millennials aren't in National Parks every weekend or are out experiencing nature is because we simply don't have time. If you get one day off after an eight or twelve hour shift then it's most likely that you will use that time to do chores around the house or catch up on your social life. Let's not forget that a lot of jobs nowdays are often taken home. By that I mean that even if your 9-5 job is done, most jobs have documents etc that you need to catch up on.
Despite that fact that National Parks are a relatively cheap destination backpacking and camping aren't, You need a car or mode of transportation to reach the area and if you want a good set of hiking books, a good backpack and a decent sleeping bag and tent then it all adds up. Sure it's often a one off investment since these items tend to last for a long time but the initial investment can be steep for someone barely scraping by(which is often the case with Millennials).
It's always the case with these articles that go after a newer generation. If you decide to tour all National Parks and engage with nature you are called " lazy" and that you live off your parents' money and aren't contributing to society. If you decide to work then you don't engage enough with national parks and so forth and so forth. It's a vicious cycle that simply won't let go.
Now on to another issue. The fact that Millennials need to be always plug into the grid. That Millennials won't visit wilderness areas because they get no signal. This is true for some people that's not often the case. The ability to disconnect is in fact one of the reasons why myself and friends enjoy visiting wilderness areas. The ability to zone out, sit down and stare at a fire or read a book by the coast is a small luxury in a world that is often over flooding us with information and news.
I also want to say that although our generation seems to be on the grid, it doesn't mean it can't appreciate wilderness. There are entire websites, subreddits etc dedicated to the beauty of nature. At any point during the day I can view pictures of mountain ranges, forests etc that I have never visited before in my life. I can have a much broader perspective of the world and of nature. I can watch scenes featuring wildlife that I will probably never have a chance to witness in real life. The idea that we are a generation obsessed with staring at our screens needs to stop. Some of us may be but then again every generation has some rotten apples.
Campaigns such as #findyourpark, help engage those of us who may have never considered visiting a park or had no idea how close a national park is to them. However ultimately I think it's up to the parents as well as your age. When you are a child you find nature wonderful. As you grow up new experiences tend to take preference over nature. There are electronic games and later on flirting and drinking. That doesn't mean that our generation doesn't appreciate nature. It just means that for some time we choose to focus on something else.
Perhaps another fact which makes it seem as if millennials don't choose to hang out at National Parks is the accessibility of travelling. It is easier than ever to jump on a plane and go somewhere you have never been before. Sure it takes money(see my point above) but if you can do it then why would you visit a local National Park? The park will be there when you return but a cheap ticket to the otherwise side of the world is fleeting. So most people my generation tend to travel when possible because we all know that eventually travelling won't be as easy. Whether it's family, a job or simply age, travelling is a concept that always seems like it's going to experience. So we opt for that option because the local parks will always be there. Perhaps a better way is to explore whether millennials attend other parks abroad. Perhaps some sort of age study may support my thoughts.
Overall though it's a false accusation. Our generation has embraced National Parks, public lands and wildlife as much as any other. Online campaigns to stop cullings, to stop pipelines and to preserve public lands are thriving. For us national parks aren't just a place to visit but also a place to defend, write about, tweet about and facebook. We share our information fast and we like getting information fast. However in the end of the day when we are around a campfire staring towards the beautiful landscape of Yosemite/Yellowstone or in my case the West of Scotland, everyone falls quiet and just absorbs nature. As much as other generations want to separate us from nature, the primordial spirit will forever be there.
Perhaps another fact which makes it seem as if millennials don't choose to hang out at National Parks is the accessibility of travelling. It is easier than ever to jump on a plane and go somewhere you have never been before. Sure it takes money(see my point above) but if you can do it then why would you visit a local National Park? The park will be there when you return but a cheap ticket to the otherwise side of the world is fleeting. So most people my generation tend to travel when possible because we all know that eventually travelling won't be as easy. Whether it's family, a job or simply age, travelling is a concept that always seems like it's going to experience. So we opt for that option because the local parks will always be there. Perhaps a better way is to explore whether millennials attend other parks abroad. Perhaps some sort of age study may support my thoughts.
Overall though it's a false accusation. Our generation has embraced National Parks, public lands and wildlife as much as any other. Online campaigns to stop cullings, to stop pipelines and to preserve public lands are thriving. For us national parks aren't just a place to visit but also a place to defend, write about, tweet about and facebook. We share our information fast and we like getting information fast. However in the end of the day when we are around a campfire staring towards the beautiful landscape of Yosemite/Yellowstone or in my case the West of Scotland, everyone falls quiet and just absorbs nature. As much as other generations want to separate us from nature, the primordial spirit will forever be there.
