CLF Director Testifies at House Hearing on ‘No Child Left Inside Act’

Watch the full hearing here

CLF Director Robert Lawrence, MD, provided testimony at a special House subcommittee 'field hearing' on the No Child Left Inside Act. The hearing, conducted outside on Earth Day at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Md., was the first to be held on the legislation introduced by Rep. John P. Sarbanes (D-Md.). The No Child Left Inside Act would direct $500 million in federal funding over five years for environmental education.

Lawrence was joined on a panel that included Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, Maryland State School Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick, Dr. Oliver Pergams, conservation scientist and co-founder of the Red Rock Institute, elementary school principal Karen Harris, and Sean Davidson, a biofuels business entrepreneur.

In his testimony Lawrence outlined CLF's mission and stressed the importance of educating children about the environment. "Nothing is more critical to achieving this mission than the education of our children to become stewards of the environment, to develop a healthy relationship with the natural world, to stimulate their minds and bodies through physical activity. The No Child Left Inside Act will provide the resources necessary to develop and support programs of environmental education and help reconnect our children with nature.”

Lawrence cited recent statistics on childhood obesity and noted that the legislation encourages more outdoor physical activity. “The dramatic and alarming increase in the rate of childhood obesity started soon after the first Earth Day (in 1970) and shows no sign of leveling off,” he said.

Lawrence pointed to a recent review on childhood obesity prevention co-sponsored by the Center for a Livable Future and the Department of Health, Behavior and Society at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. The study recommends increased physical activity, increased access and consumption of healthy foods and changes in the built environment to encourage physical activity. He cited Meatless Monday, Eat Healthy Monday and Healthy Monday behavior modification programs advocated by the CLF, which emphasize the first day of the week as a motivator to adopt health-promoting behaviors.

View the full text of Dr. Lawrence’s testimony

The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is one of 200 members of The No Child Left Inside Coalition, a national coalition of environmental and educational groups representing hundreds of thousands of teachers, environmental educators and others. The Coalition was formed to alert Congress and the public to the need for public schools to devote more resources and attention to environmental education.

CLF Director Dr. Robert Lawrence, right, gives his testimony. Looking on, from left, are State Schools Superintendent Nancy Grasmick, School Principal Karen Harris, and Red Rock Institute co-founder Dr. Oliver Pergams.

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley talks to reporters at the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge press conference prior to the No Child Left Inside Act Congressional hearing. Behind O’Malley is Rep. John P. Sarbanes, sponsor of the legislation. Several students from area schools were on hand to give nature demonstrations prior to the hearing.

Members of the House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education question witnesses at the rare outdoor hearing.