Nature Deficit Disorder. It’s the new rage. It’s the new Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity-Disorder. It’s a first world problem, in our first world urban societies, where a blend of various socio-economic and cultural populations mix and segregate themselves amidst a bombardment of technological and material stimulation. We – kids, people – are deficient in nature and a sense of connection.

On Facebook the other day, I saw a post that a few friends had spread around that was a picture of a black board in a coffee shop that read “No, we don’t have Wi-Fi – Talk to each other”.

The number of times I have wanted to delete my Facebook account, throw my iPhone away, run into the woods for a few days, and sell my car… The number of times a friend/family member/ client has told me they want to delete their social media accounts, throw their phones away, escape the city, leave their lap-tops behind, and sell all possessions… The numbers are high and the funny thing is, many of us do it, take a break from it all, and then come right back to it once we have had a bit of space to breathe and once we feel grounded again and re-crave that access to social inclusion that our innovators have so creatively designed.

How easy it is to get consumed and swallowed up by a world of innovation that is fueled by greed and capitalism and all the possibilities that are promised for a life of happiness via advertising and testimonials. The innovation, technology, and creative material designs we humans have come up with are brilliant. unbelievable, actually. The problem is, many of these creations have brought changes to the way we relate to one another, to our surroundings, to the food we eat, and to the way we care for ourselves and others. Some changes have been good experiences, and others not so good.

8 year old kids don’t need cell phones. Teens don’t need to spend their evenings on facebook spying on one another and plotting their drama for the next day. Schools don’t actually need smart boards cause they don’t actually improve the level of education the students receive – teaching, curriculum revisions and engaged social interactions improve the way kids/people learn.

I advocate for greater connection with nature as I sit here blogging about it.

I feel better when I am harvesting potatoes.

Today, I will make salsa.