On your D7000 dial where you set Auto, the symbol on the dial right beside Auto is a little lightning bolt with a line through it. You can use it in that position, which means still Auto, but the Flash is always turned off (even when otherwise needed). See your camera manual.

Or, you could learn to use A, S, P, or M mode, and then in those modes, the flash will only flash if you open it's door first. In Auto, you also have Auto ISO, Auto White Balance, auto everything, but in A, S, P, or M, you only have whatever you set (which could still be auto stuff if desired). P mode with Auto ISO on and Auto White Balance on won't be much different than Auto (except the flash only flashes when you open its door first), but you still have choices about controlling things.

Fill flash in bright sun is often a very good thing. Otherwise, pictures of people can have dark harsh shadows on the face, and the flash can help that greatly if still in flash range, not too far. Eight or ten feet is getting pretty to be about the limit for the little internal flash.