Wednesday, August 8, 2007 - 9:20 AM

OOS 21-5: Globalization of environmental issues: Expanding gateways for increasing public understanding

Thomas S. Litwin, Smith College

With the emergence of global scale of environmental perturbations, science education and outreach pedagogies must address increasingly diverse audiences whose interests may not reflect the values of traditional environmental constituencies. This is particularly urgent as tension grows between scientific complexity and public understanding. The 20th Century produced an array of environmental issues ranging from deforestation to unsustainable wildlife harvests. Using the Alaska coastline and the 2001 Harriman Alaska Expedition Retraced as a vehicle for examining a century of environmental change (1899- 2001), it was observed that the scale and complexity of environmental issues facing contemporary society have increased. Historical declines in fish, fur seal, sea otter, and timber were often driven by local/regional actions, and could be addressed by local/regional public action and management. As the 21st Century unfolds, environmental impacts having local/regional impacts remain. Significantly, in addition, global scale perturbations are increasing, including air borne pollution and acidification, ozone depletion, climate change, and wildlife population declines resulting from global scale drivers. To reach the diverse, non-traditional audiences whose societies, economies, and lifestyles may be contributing to cumulative global environmental impacts, innovative interdisciplinary gateways need to be developed that appeal to a range of interests. These gateways might include art, literature, travel, cultural anthropology, and geography. Alternative gateways are intended to address the diverse interests of general  audiences, with the goal of promoting scientific and environmental literacy within populations not pre-disposed to science and environmental education.      

 


See more of OOS 21 - Not-such-strange-bedfellows: Partnerships between scientists and artists enhance ecological research, art, and ecological restoration
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See more of The ESA/SER Joint Meeting (August 5 -- August 10, 2007)