Get hooked on nature: Ben Klasky at TEDxRainier

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Published 2014-01-13
As kids now spend more time with entertainment media, they're getting less and less time outdoors, despite the mental and physical health benefits. Ben Klasky, CEO of IslandWood, a 255-acre outdoor learning center, proposes a free and natural remedy to the physical problems kids face: the Great Outdoors.

Ben grew up in Minnesota where he spent lots of time outdoors. He serves as President and CEO of IslandWood, a nonprofit organization that helps tens of thousands of kids get out into nature. IslandWood's 255-acre headquarters is based on Bainbridge Island, WA, and features some of the most environmentally sustainable buildings in the world. The organization targets low-income, at-risk youth, and introduces them to roar of tree frogs, soaring bald eagles, and star-filled skies, helping them to discover natural connections with the outdoors.

He is the co-founder of Camp Galileo, which has grown into the largest set of day camps in the Bay Area; and he co-founded Board Fellows while earning his MBA and Masters in Education from Stanford. Board Fellows places business school students on nonprofit boards, and the model has been replicated at over 75 other business schools. Ben teaches a graduate class on Social Entrepreneurship at the University of Washington's Evans School of Public Affairs and a graduate class on Nonprofit Management.

This talk was given November 9, 2013 in Seattle at TEDxRainier, a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences.

TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)
All Comments (21)
  • @Dman9fp
    True spirituality with Nature is "What can I do for Nature?" Instead of "What can Nature do for me?"
  • @Poppins242
    7 Hours of screen time? Stop the world I want to get off. Brilliant talk, I love getting children outdoors thank you for sharing
  • @jbirdperez6003
    very good .. well put and said. " To put it as polite as possible , America , take a walk."
  • @grgeliz
    When I was a kid my 6 brothers and sisters and 20 cousins were outside every day playing. There were kids everywhere ('70s). We had 4 different fields to play, play on tire swings, eat blackberries and grapes, and wild strawberries. We built forts in our yards in trees. Times have changed but we were out until 7pm. We walked to Religious Education on Sundays and on the trip home we picked up chestnuts. We drilled holes in them and put string through them and threw them up telephone lines. We made mud balls and threw them onto our neighbor's apartment buildings (which got us in trouble). On Halloween we went on about 20-25 streets, came home and dumped the candy and went out again. We had this one couple who gave us cider and doughnuts each Halloween. We were out until 10pm that night. I hope kids play more and put their phones and games away. Ask your parents what they did when they were kids. Enjoy nature, please.
  • @bklasky
    Thanks for watching my TEDx Talk regarding the need to get children outdoors for their physical and mental health.   Feel free to contact me via Twitter:@benklasky.
  • @alejandranovello3274
    "Take a sledge and break through the cement to plant a garden" Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • @paultannahill5043
    "When you're just a little bit out of your comfort zone, you're at peak learning."
  • @fleecydale
    Island Wood is one of the most powerfully transformative outdoor school, but getting children to walk out the back door and playing outside is the first step. 
  • @peterdrury8385
    Loved watching this, Ben! Excellent work ~ Inspiring, compelling, and necessary. Congrats!
  • @ElvenWisdom
    I agree and approve of this message as an Elf 🌿
  • @PartyCatDisco
    This was the most inspiring video on Tedx I've ever seen. I seriously need to get out more (after coronavirus) But I'm gonna start with being in my yard and gardening.
  • @OLAlchemiAzazel
    Thank you for the work you do, I live in Texas and summers are super HOT! Just this week we had a few heat advisories and I want to take my kid out on his bike but we have to wait until sundown and it’s still Hot and Humid! Then you get this thing about Skin Cancer etc...what gives???!!! This system is killing us slowly and we are allowing it! I appreciate your speech thank you I will find ways to get my son out more often, I will find a way’
  • @tpeng2009
    You rock Ben! Awesome presentation. Go LT 2008!
  • @Alun49
    I recently moved to a small village in the Oxfordshire countryside. I go for walks everyday in the countryside surrounding the village. I never see gangs of kids out playing as we did when I was young. We were out after breakfast and back in the late afternoon. We roamed all over the place and had special places we would go and play. It is so sad not to see children doing the same. Instead they seem to spend time I their homes or out playing but supervised by their parents. They have lost something in not getting independent free space to play, explore, make decisions for themselves and grow.