Half of the nation does not have time to get outdoors and explore nature, according to research commissioned on behalf of Jordans Cereals and The Jordans Farm Partnership.
A recent report highlights the extent to which the UK has become an indoor nation, spending a staggering 142 hours a week indoors, including: In the office; at the shops; watching TV; in the car; or on public transport.
15% of the people surveyed complained that they don’t have anywhere picturesque nearby that they can visit.
More than one in 10 stated that they are unable to afford the costs of travelling to the countryside, to take in the beautiful scenery that many areas in the UK have to offer.
According to the data, the nation spends as little as 26 hours a week outside, which over an adult lifetime equates to 53 years spent inside and just one decade outdoors, enjoying fresh air and nature.
A third state that they never get the chance to swim in the sea, with nearly one in 10 revealing that they can’t remember the last time they went for a walk or saw wildlife or greenery, although 52% would like to have time to walk along a coastal path.
No connection
A further 37% of British people said they have no connection to wildlife in their everyday life, with 85% saying they have not fed the ducks with their children recently or had time to go fishing.
Findings also show the average adult has not visited a local park or green space in the last few months – while 10% of adults said they could only manage to identify one type of tree by sight.
Nearly half of the people surveyed couldn’t remember the last time they had set foot on a farm.
Results did, however, find that the unpredictable British weather stops many British people from heading out of the house, with the typical adult spending twice as long outside in the summer as they do in the winter. Sadly, 85% said they would love to spend more time in the open air and 7% of those said they would have no idea where to go if they were to go out.
The survey revealed that other reasons for not venturing outside included mobility problems, not having a companion to go with and children preferring to stay indoors.
