27 Mar 2009
Let's face it -- it's hard to find anything to smile about in the news. The headlines scream about wars, financial turmoil and ridiculous scandal.
It turns out that you just have to click a few times to get some good news! Yesterday, a colleague shared with me this article in CNN's online travel section: "In a slump, camping comes into vogue."
That's right: Since the economy soured, tent sales are up and the number of campers and hikers is on an upward trend.
Sure -- it could just be temporary: people now have less money for expensive plane tickets and hotel rooms. But I like that the reporter noted that an outdoor vacation "... strikes a new chord with Americans who want to get back to basics after an era of excess and overspending."
Green Hour's been playing that chord for a while now. Just over a year ago, Green Hour's director Todd Christopher wrote about a study that showed that visits to National Parks have been in decline for the past 20 years.
Maybe, just maybe, the nation's current crisis can reverse this withdrawal from nature.
We can only hope that America's rediscovery of the natural world will outlast the recession . But for now it's the perfect time for a staycation -- or a backyard campout!
Anne Keisman is the online media coordinator for Green Hour. Follow her as @GreenHour on Twitter.
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