Wired for nature
A mixed method study of environmentally conscious digital users’ connections to nature in Australia and the United States
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33621/jdsr.v7i234117Keywords:
nature connectedness, digital nature, digital disconnection, digital solastalgia, digital environmental advocacy, voluntary digital disconnection, digital mediaAbstract
In the digital age, technology increasingly shapes environmental engagement, transforming how individuals perceive the natural world. While digital tools support awareness of environmental issues such as climate change, pollution and deforestation, they also challenge the quality of nature experiences. This mixed-methods study investigates how environmentally conscious digital users conceptualise nature, interact with it, and balance screen time with nature time. Data collection involved an online survey of 220 Australian and American participants, and semi-structured interviews. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to examine participants’ perceptions and practices regarding nature and digital technology. Findings show that digital technology is largely perceived as a mediator – not an obstacle – to nature connection. When used intentionally, especially alongside voluntary digital disconnection, it is seen as a neutral tool that can foster positive engagement with nature. Although participants strongly identified as part of nature, they maintained culturally embedded human-nature dualisms, particularly around human-made objects, including digital devices. The study also introduces the concept of digital solastalgia – the emotional distress experienced through witnessing environmental degradation online. Findings illustrate the complex ways individuals navigate their relationships with nature in the digital age, challenging binary framings of nature engagement as either online or offline, and suggesting a more hybrid understanding of human-nature-technology interactions.
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