Running head: RAISING AWARENESS 1. Raising Environmental Awareness of Climate Change and Global Warming. Gregory Keogh

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1 Running head: RAISING AWARENESS 1 Raising Environmental Awareness of Climate Change and Global Warming Gregory Keogh JRN415: Methods of Research & Analysis in Journalism Larry Holden January 12, 2016

2 RAISING AWARENESS 2 Raising Environmental Awareness of Climate Change and Global Warming Raising environmental awareness may seem like a lost cause to some, but to those concerned for the overall well-being of our global future, taking necessary precautionary measures now is of utmost importance. Global warming and climate change, among other environmental issues, are important matters that need to be addressed now and into the future to employ a more engaging public awareness. Indeed, while global warming and climate change are typically out of the general population s expertise or level of knowledge, increasing public awareness not only increases one s knowledge of the environment, it will enable the user as to what can or needs to be done to better provide for the future of the earth. Environmental change is inevitable. The problem is that most of the public are not aware of how serious global warming and climate change effects actually are. According to a 2008 analysis, an underlying assumption is that providing information about global warming will lead to increased public concern about the risk of global warming. (Kellstedt, Zahran, & Vedlitz, p. 114, para. 1). Granted, it seems doing so is easier said than done. Albeit there are many news programs covering the subject matter available to the public as well as the popular children s movie series, Ice Age, what is most challenging is increasing public awareness. Kellstedt, Zahran, and Vedlitz (2008) add that the lack of public outcry about global warming, then, is not because the public does not care enough about global warming; it is because they don t know enough about it. (p. 114, para. 1). While an increase in environmental information made public will greatly assist in meeting awareness goals for the general population, increasing public concern for these climate effects, global warming, and other environmental changes should become the primary focus. Kellstedt, Zahran, and Vedlitz (2008) bring up an excellent point in that the more people know about global warming, the thinking

3 RAISING AWARENESS 3 seems to go, the more they will feel personally responsible for it, and also be concerned about it, (p. 114, para. 1). Indeed, the more the public know about such issues will raise the concern, however, in my opinion, more needs to be done to act on these concerns. This type of support can be found through environmental organizations along with respective public figures. Major organizations are fundamental to raising public awareness of environmental issues but so are the nation s public figures. Former Vice President Al Gore, for example, has proved a credible source for raising awareness of climate change gaining critical acclaim and much recognition at the Sundance Film Festival with an innovative documentary, An Inconvenient Truth (Guggenheim, 2006), that educates citizens about global warming. Additional organizations participating in the cause to promote environmental awareness and concern include the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which developed the Territorial Approach to Climate Change (TACC) that increases overall resilience to climate change working with local level governments (2015); Greenpeace, a non-governmental environmental organization who aim toward a 100% renewable energy future as the world s best chance to preserve the planet (2015); and, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), who, thus far, have provided $14.5 billion in grants and mobilized $75.4 billion in additional financing for almost 4,000 projects with international partnership of 183 countries, international institutions, civil society organizations, and private sector to address global environmental issues (2013). Of course, of considerable recognition is the United States Environment Protection Agency (EPA), which, through the help of Congress, protect human health as well as the environment through assessment and research (2015). As much as these organizations have accomplished, the process is only in its initial stages- taking matters steps at a time to get where the world needs to be.

4 RAISING AWARENESS 4 Originally, I asked with temperature records showing a warmer trend, what does it mean for the future of our planet, if, for example, the ice caps melt completely, or sea levels rise uncontrollably, or some other climate-related catastrophic event were to occur? (EPA, 2015). To be more specific, my concerns lie with what if the ice caps melt causing the sea levels to rise to enormous heights and what if solar flares project so far as to impact earth further causing a catastrophic event leading to extinction. To answer, more like respond to, the questions I have, I referred to the Natural Resources Defense Council (2005). The Council answers important, relevant questions such as Why are global warming specialists watching the Arctic so closely?; What kinds of changes are taking place in the Arctic now?; How does this dramatic ice melt affect the Arctic?; and a few others, to include my own. So, what would happen if the Arctic ice caps melt? A warmer Arctic will affect weather patterns and thus food production around the world, as well as the flooding of some 22,400 square miles of land along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States, (Natural Resources Defense Council, 2005). Heightening many levels of concern is the fact that the Arctic ice caps contracting is, in fact, accelerating global warming (2005). Without the ice to cover the earth, the earth will absorb more sunlight, thus getting hotter, as confirmed by the latest scientific data provided by the NRDC (2005). Of note is the shrinkage of the summer polar ice cap which has reduced nearly 20-percent since 1979 (Natural Resources Defense Council, 2005). My initial set of questions opened up my research into seeing what I, along with my family, can do to help fight global warming. Question two, which is a two-part question, brought forth, perhaps, the most valuable questions one may ask when discussing matters as greatly impacting as global warming and climate change. What happens if the public becomes actively involved in future developments

5 RAISING AWARENESS 5 towards climate change and global warming? What happens if the public does not? In answering the first question, I refer back to the National Resource Defense Council (2005) once more. The NRDC says that when we burn fossil fuels oil, coal and gas to generate electricity and power our vehicles, we produce the heat-trapping gases that cause global warming, and that the more we burn, the faster churns the engine of global climate change, (2005). The most important thing humans can do to prevent this catastrophe, humans must save [conserve] energy (National Resource Defense Council, 2005). Naturally, one would ask how possible overcoming such adversity is or how can we as a whole world achieve this great feat. The NRDC is adamant that we can do it because technology exists that make cars run cleaner and burn less gas, generate electricity from wind and sun, modernize power plants, and build refrigerators, air conditioners and whole buildings that use less power, (2005). Becoming actively engaged or even generally concerned as individuals is step one in fighting global warming and climate change. Now, if the public does not become actively involved in the future developments towards climate change and global warming, the world could see as much as a 3-foot sea-level rise by 2100 as projected by scientists or an ice-free summer in the Arctic by the end of the century, (NRDC, 2005). In a 2014 Review of Policy Research report, it was found that many Americans do not believe that global warming is caused by human activities, a majority do not believe global warming should be a priority for the president and Congress, and skepticism about climate change is increasing in the minds of Americans, (as cited by Brooks, Oxley, Vedlitz, Zahran, & Lindsey). In agreement with the report, the aforementioned perspectives are significant for climate change policy, because if members of the general public do not accept the premise of human-induced global climate change and express concern about it, they will be less likely to

6 RAISING AWARENESS 6 support actions or work on adaptive strategies, (Brooks, Oxley, Vedlitz, Zahran, & Lindsey, 2014, p. 1). The driving factor here is becoming actively involved whether by reducing pollution as much as routinely possible or saving energy in other forms. In critiquing the resources available along with resources I utilized, I am quite impressed with the vast amount of information available; not to mention, the multitudes of support from participating organizations. Each source utilized provided a comprehensive look into useful and intricate details of each global warming and climate change. In looking for the specific answers to my questions, I incorporated the use of computer-assisted research to explore and investigate further through multitudes of environmental databases and records, especially in regards to locating the answers to my questions and other general questions (Paul & Hansen, 2007). One strategy I intended to implement into my research was understanding the history of each global warming and climate change- especially in the local sector- meanwhile finding out what measures, progress or advancements local agencies have made to serve their purpose and fulfill their role in tackling, or researching, environmental issues, in which I was able to with the GEF, Greenpeace, NRDC, UNEP, and EPA websites (Houston, 2009, p 434, para. 7). Most of my sources included contact information for participating organizations along with frequently asked questions that actually answered my questions which is why I am satisfied with the results of my research. Enlisting each one of our services to better understand the impacts climate change and global warming have on us into the future of civilization as well as the earth is of critical necessity. Integral to the future, the public s environmental awareness serves a purpose equivalent to that of education. Indeed, while global warming and climate change are typically out of the general population s expertise or level of knowledge, increasing public awareness not only increases

7 RAISING AWARENESS 7 one s knowledge of the environment, it will enable the user as to what can or needs to be done to better provide for the future of the earth.

8 RAISING AWARENESS 8 References Brooks, J., Oxley, D., Vedlitz, A., Zahran, S., & Lindsey, C. (2014). Abnormal daily temperature and concern about climate change across the United States. Review Of Policy Research, 31(3), doi: /ropr Global Environment Facility (GEF). (2013). Climate change. Retrieved from Greenpeace. (2015). Fighting Global Warming. Retrieved from Guggenheim, D. (Director). (2006). An Inconvenient Truth [Motion picture]. United States. Houston, B. (2009). The investigative reporter s handbook: A guide to documents, databases and techniques (5 th ). Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin. Kellstedt, P. M., Zahran, S. & Vedlitz, A. (2008). Personal efficacy, the information environment, and attitudes toward global warming and climate change in the United States. Risk Analysis: An International Journal, 28(1), doi: /j x. Natural Resources Defense Council. (2005). Global Warming puts the Artic on thin ice. Retrieved from Paul, N, & Hansen, K. (2007). Computer-assisted research: Information strategies and tools for journalists. Columbia, MO: Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). (2015). Climate change. Retrieved from

9 RAISING AWARENESS 9 United States Environment Protection Agency (EPA). (2015). Climate change. Retrieved from