Americans spend a startling 95% of their time indoors – that equates to nearly 346 days a year – according to an analysis by Columbia University which was commissioned by the makers of Claritin.
To bring the issue out in the open, Claritin is partnering with actor and outdoor enthusiast Josh Duhamel (of the upcoming movie,Transformers: Last Knight) and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to launch the “Be An Outsider” campaign. The campaign’s message is simple — GET OUTSIDE. Studies suggest spending time outdoors in nature has been associated with health benefits such as feelings of reduced stress, improved mood and increased energy.
To inspire people to get outside and demonstrate its commitment to the cause, Claritin has made a three-year commitment of up to a half a million dollars to Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the nation’s leading youth service organization, to fund programming to help kids get outside.
Yesterday, Josh issued a call to action – Join Claritin and “Be An Outsider” – and help a good cause by sharing a photo of your best outdoor moment on Facebook or Instagram with both hashtags #BeAnOutsider and #Claritin by June 30, 2017. Every post triggers a $5 donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (up to $50,000). To mark the “Be An Outsider” kick-off, Duhamel ceremoniously rolled in on a multi-seater bike, took Boys & Girls Club kids on a ride in New York City posting his first official #BeAnOutsider moment. Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide also shared their best outdoor photos, and now Duhamel is asking America to do the same.
“Since my early childhood growing up in North Dakota to now spending time with my young son, being outdoors has always been a big part of who I am and how I enjoy my life,” said Duhamel. “I am excited to join Claritin, a brand I have always counted on, to launch the Be An Outsider campaign and help Boys & Girls Clubs of America kids have more opportunities to gain an appreciation of the great outdoors.”
In the first year, the Claritin and Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s collaboration includes the development of an Outdoor Resource and Activity Guide to help support staff at 4,300 local Clubs to help get their local youth outside. In subsequent years, Claritin will work with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to determine key areas that funding can support, which may include the refurbishment of outdoor play areas for select Clubs in need.
“We’re thrilled to continue our relationship with Claritin and work together on this exciting campaign,” notes Dr. Jennifer Bateman, National Vice President, Health, Wellness and Nutrition, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “As many kids and teens do, our youth spend much of their time indoors. Our collaboration with Claritin will provide our Club staff with support to help get kids outside so they can experience the benefits that time outdoors may offer.”
The analysis, commissioned by Claritin, of the American Time Use Study showed similarly across geographies, demographics, incomes and genders, we are spending 33 times more time inside than outside in a year. In fact, nature words are losing their relevance in society. As a consequence, a well-known junior’s dictionary has replaced nature words with more frequently used technology words – say goodbye to “acorn” and hello to “blog.” Other findings based on the study analysis:
- For every minute we live, we only spend the equivalent of two seconds outside.
- By the time you’re 35 years old, you’ve spent the equivalent of 33 years indoors.
- We spend 4 times more time watching TV than going outdoors.
- Other top activities keeping us indoors, besides sleeping at 37.1% and TV watching at 12.3%, include: Relaxing & Leisure at 4.75%, Eating & Drinking at 4.58% and Grooming at 2.88%.
- The top indoor cities include: Baltimore at nearly 97% of the time spent indoors, with Miami and Dallas trailing close behind at 96%.
“Our work shows that Americans are spending the vast majority of their time indoors. It’s truly compelling how ubiquitous this effect is – whether you live in sunny LA or rainy Seattle, whether you have kids or not, single or married, whether you are young or old, high or low income, there is little variation in time spent indoors. Other research suggests that time spent outside in nature may be beneficial to our health because people are more likely to be physically active and more relaxed.” said Matthew Neidell, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management, Columbia University, the lead researcher of the American Time Use Survey analysis.
To learn more about the Claritin “Be An Outsider” campaign, simple ways to get involved, and more about how you can help Boys & Girls Clubs of America, visit Claritin.com/beanoutsider. You will find an activity guide with Josh’s favorite picks that will inspire you on your next outdoor adventure. So get outside; join the movement and Be An Outsider.
About the American Time Use Survey Analysis
The 2015 Bureau of Labor Statistics American Time Use Survey is an annual survey assessing how the nation spends its time performing various activities. Claritin commissioned Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health (CMPH) to conduct an analysis of the American Time Use Survey to better understand the activities people engage in, both indoors and outdoors.
Bayer: Science For A Better Life
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. At the same time, the Group aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its social and ethical responsibilities as a corporate citizen. In fiscal 2016, the Group employed around 115,200 people and had sales of EUR 46.8 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to EUR 2.6 billion, R&D expenses to EUR 4.7 billion. These figures include those for the high-tech polymers business, which was floated on the stock market as an independent company named Covestro on October 6, 2015. For more information, go to www.bayer.us.
