Actor, Woodworker, Comedian, Musician, Author and Outdoorman Talks About the Outdoors

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Nature

Ed Hessler

--When I hear young people today complain about being bored - and the things that keep them from being bored are generally exclusively videogames and/or computer pastimes - I just try to encourage them to go outside.--Actor, Writer, Woodworker Nick Offerman

I don't watch television and while I'd heard of the mockumentary sitcom Parks and Recreation, I've never seen even a clip from the show which  means, of course,  I'd never heard of one of the kead players, Nick Offerman.

Weekend Edition's Scott Simon (NPR) talked with Offerman upon the publication of Offerman's new book, Where the Deer and the Antelope Play: The Pastoral Observations of One Ignorant American who Loves to Walk Outside. It is still warm from its recent release (October 12). The link lets you take a look between the covers.

Simon spent his time talking with Offerman about his love of the natural world rather than about the book. The conversation which may be heard and read, took place "in the great wilderness of New York City's Central Park."

In the interview, Offerman talks about how he became fond of the outdoors, on what he values about being outside, his approach to the outdoors--he is a wanderer, the relationship of biodiversity to human diversity, and that great question on how to experience nature while living in cities.

The interview is an 8-minute listen and a shorter read.