Promoting an appreciation for ecology and the environmental sciences by a broad range of society

In order to enlist more support for and involvement in ecology and the environmental sciences by a broader range of people, ecologists must clearly demonstrate the importance of the environment to various audiences' personal experiences. As ecologists, we usually preach to the choir. Most of our contact is with students who have elected our classes, professional readers of our publications, and colleagues at professional meetings. Despite the differences of opinion among ecologists, our scientific assumptions are similar, we have a basic knowledge of the interactions between humans and the environment, and we generally agree on desired outcomes from those interactions. Because our primary exposure is to those who think similarly to ourselves, we may forget that the general public does not necessarily have the same basic assumptions, knowledge, desired outcomes that we have. A recent audience brought that point home clearly. After asking the question, “Why do you need to know about ecology and environmental science?”, I showed a slide of urban factories spewing pollution over a crowded freeway. There was a collective gasp—many people in that room had not made the connection between air quality and their own health! How can we ameliorate this problem? How can we enlist the interest and support of non-scientists? How can we involve diverse populations? As ecologists, we must illustrate the links between human and environmental health and highlight the multidisciplinary approaches that solve problems and permit sound policy-making. We must do this in new and innovative forums, such as college English and art classes, community presentations, and radio talk shows. This talk introduces a sample series of slides designed to reach a broad audience in higher education through its use in such classes as art, journalism, marketing, English, history, chemistry, mathematics, and genetics.