Has anyone else noticed that the media does not provide sufficient coverage of environmental news, given the importance of the environment to our lives? The mainstream broadcast media and press are getting a bit better at covering conservation stories than they used to be, now that “green” awareness is more widespread, but they are not doing enough, given the plethora of environmental issues facing our society.
While stories about global warming and renewable energy are becoming more common, how often do you see stories in the mainstream media about, for example, public lands management issues like mining, grazing, logging, or wilderness designation? Have you ever seen a report on the point- and non-point sources of air pollution in your region? When was the last time you saw a feature on a water issue such as factory farm runoff, the effects of discarded pharmaceuticals on stream ecology, the loss of wetlands, or the threats to riparian areas?
When I scan through the magazines I get from environmental groups, I frequently note that only a few of the stories they cover, stories that affect our lives, get mainstream attention. How are we as a society to make informed decisions about our environment when most people know very little about the human activities that impact it?
Those of us who care about the environment can help rectify this. All you have to do is email or phone your local or national news outlet and notify reporters when there is an important environmental story to tell. You can also send a letter to the editor or producer, to compliment them when they do cover an environmental issue, and express your disappointment when they don’t.
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