For many American children, the natural world has been replaced by a digital one. Current research suggests that some children spend as much as seven hours a day in front of a screen, leaving a dwindling window for the outdoors. This shift is more than a change in hobbies. it is a growing disconnection that filmmaker James Parker believes is coinciding with a dangerous increase in political and social polarization.
In his 60-minute documentary, In Our Nature, Parker explores the hypothesis that environmental education for community building can act as a critical antidote to this isolation. Rather than treating nature as a subject to be studied in a textbook, the film frames the outdoors as a “bridge builder”—a neutral, common ground where people from opposing political, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds can reconnect not only with the earth but with one another.
Produced through his company, Synchronous Pictures, the film is the result of months of observation and interviews conducted in partnership with the North American Association for Environmental Education. Parker, a San Diego native, sought to understand how the act of planting a seed or walking through a forest could dismantle the rigid “black-and-white” narratives that currently dominate American public discourse.
Bridging Divides Through the Soil
The film centers on three distinct programs that demonstrate the versatility of nature-based learning across different American landscapes. Each serves as a case study in how ecological engagement can resolve specific societal fractures.
In Chicago, the film highlights Southside Blooms, an initiative led by Quilen Blackwell, a CNN Hero of the Year. By converting vacant urban lots into sustainable flower farms, the program employs local youth and fosters connection in one of the country’s most segregated cities. Notably, the program often identifies more as a job initiative than a traditional classroom, proving that the benefits of environmental education are most potent when they meet the immediate economic needs of the community.
In rural Kentucky, the focus shifts to the Red Oaks Forest School. Here, the “bridge” being built is political. The film captures families of vastly different ideological stripes coming together in search of an alternative education for their children, finding that their shared desire for their children’s well-being outweighs their partisan differences when they are standing on literal common ground.
The third narrative takes place in San Antonio, Texas, focusing on the intersection of nature and mental health. Through the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), environmental educators operate with military families, particularly children navigating the complexities of grief. Nature is not a lesson plan but a tool for social and emotional healing.
The Evolution of Environmental Education
A central theme of Parker’s inquiry is the need to expand the definition of what “environmental education” actually is. For too long, the field has been restricted by rigid classifications that limit who can provide the education and who has access to it. Parker argues that at its core, this practice is about connection—to the air, water, and soil that every human depends on regardless of their background.
The film advocates for a “ground-up” approach rather than top-down prescriptions. By allowing communities to build their own social enterprises and ecological programs, the film suggests that the resulting solutions are more sustainable and more reflective of the people they serve.
| Location | Program Focus | Primary Divide Addressed |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | Urban Flower Farming | Racial and Socioeconomic |
| Rural Kentucky | Forest Schooling | Political and Urban-Rural |
| San Antonio, TX | Healing Gardens/Outdoors | Emotional and Grief-based |
The Artist’s Perspective: Embracing Complexity
Parker’s approach to the documentary is mirrored in the philosophy of his production studio. He describes the concept of “synchronous”—the idea that something can be multiple things at once. This perspective allows the film to avoid the simplistic narratives often found in news cycles. He notes that nature itself is a reflection of the human condition: it can be simultaneously violent and uncomfortable, yet full of immense beauty and love.
For Parker, this duality is where the truth lies. By accepting that people can hold different views while sharing a common environment, the walls of division begin to crumble. This personal conviction stems from his own history in San Diego, where the ocean served as a meditative refuge and a place of connection during his youth.
The documentary serves as a call to action, suggesting that if the trend of increasing screen time and decreasing outdoor engagement continues, the “widening chasm” of American division may only deepen. The film posits that returning to the natural world is not a regression, but a necessary step toward reclaiming a shared humanity.
Community Engagement and Next Steps
As part of a broader national campaign in partnership with the North American Association for Environmental Education, In Our Nature continues to screen at community events to spark local dialogue. Following its appearance at SXSW EDU in March, the film is scheduled for a special community screening in San Diego at Rivian San Diego.
The event will feature collaborations with the San Diego Natural History Museum and the San Diego Environmental Film Festival, providing a platform for local organizations to discuss how nature-based learning can be implemented within their own neighborhoods. This event serves as a practical extension of the film’s thesis: moving the conversation from the screen to the soil.
The broader campaign aims to encourage the development of more community-led environmental programs across the United States, focusing on accessibility and the removal of partisan barriers to ecological literacy.
We invite you to share your thoughts on how nature has influenced your own community connections in the comments below.
