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| | HR0700 | | LRB101 17197 MST 66599 r |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | | WHEREAS, Children are spending less time outdoors |
| 3 | | exploring,
discovering, and observing our natural world and |
| 4 | | playing and
creating in open spaces; and
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| 5 | | WHEREAS, Not participating in these types of activities has |
| 6 | | been
shown to have adverse health, social, and emotional |
| 7 | | consequences;
and
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| 8 | | WHEREAS, Spending time in the outdoors with frequent access |
| 9 | | to
nature experiences and lessons provides a foundation upon |
| 10 | | which to
build physical strength and environmental awareness; |
| 11 | | and
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| 12 | | WHEREAS, Learning about the environment and other subjects |
| 13 | | in an
outdoor setting, an outdoor classroom or garden, and |
| 14 | | through field
studies and outdoor lab activities is known to |
| 15 | | help increase student
performance in class, increase student |
| 16 | | interest in learning, reduce
disciplinary problems, and |
| 17 | | increase student ownership of work
being done; and
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| 18 | | WHEREAS, The future quality, quantity, and use of the |
| 19 | | State's
natural resources will lie in the hands of children; |
| 20 | | and
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| | HR0700 | - 2 - | LRB101 17197 MST 66599 r |
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, Children will need to understand natural systems |
| 2 | | and the
interrelationships between natural and human-built |
| 3 | | systems in
order to make decisions and take actions that will |
| 4 | | maintain a high
quality of life; therefore, be it
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| 5 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE |
| 6 | | HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that |
| 7 | | we believe that every child should have the right and
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| 8 | | opportunity to explore the woods and climb a tree, run through |
| 9 | | a field and build a fort, splash in the water and catch a fish, |
| 10 | | explore a city park and turn over a log, sleep out in a tent and |
| 11 | | gaze at the stars, follow a trail and listen to a bird song, |
| 12 | | play in the mud and hold a frog, plant a garden and eat locally |
| 13 | | grown food, play in the rain and follow animal tracks, and be |
| 14 | | alone in nature or share it with a friend; and be it further
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| 15 | | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be |
| 16 | | delivered to the Director of the Illinois Department of Natural |
| 17 | | Resources, the Director of the Illinois Environmental |
| 18 | | Protection Agency, the Director of the Illinois Department of |
| 19 | | Children and Family Services, and the Governor.
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