Week 7 Assignment

MAE 124/ESYS 103: Week 7 Assignment

Raising Awareness of Environmental Challenges

Download: Week 7 assignment.

In class we've talked extensively about the range of environmental problems that society faces and the possible solutions. But how can the general public be made aware of these issues? Many strategies exist for exposing people to environmental ideas. What do you think works best? Specialists typically evaluate education and public outreach efforts by asking some straightforward questions:

Who is the target audience? What age group will learn most from this? What does the intended audience already know or not know?
What message is being conveyed? What should the audience learn as a result of looking at each educational material?
What method is used to deliver the message? Does it involve getting people to read information, or is it participatory?
What are the strengths and weakness of the approach? In your own opinion, what works well and what seems likely to miss the mark?

For more information on education and public outreach concepts, you might check out a short article by Michael Novacek (2008, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, vol 105, suppl. 1, pp. 11,571-11,578).

Now let's consider 3 different organizations who are carrying out efforts to educate the public about environmental problems.

The Alliance for Climate Protection is one group that aims to "persuade the American people—and people elsewhere in the world—of the importance and urgency of adopting and implementing effective and comprehensive solutions for the climate crisis." The Alliance has the potential to make a difference, since it is comparatively well-funded: it receives 5% of box office receipts from the film An Inconvenient Truth, all of the approximately $1.5 million that Al Gore received when he shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, and all proceeds from Al Gore's forthcoming book Our Choice. Take a look at the Alliance's mission and goals statement, and at the projects that it runs: Repower America, We Can Solve It, and This is Reality. Who is the target audience for the Alliance for Climate Protection? What is their message, and what methods do they use to convey their message? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the approach?
Web sites, such as Green Living Tips, offer specific suggestions for what you can do. Take a look at their suggestions for raising environmental awareness. Who is the target audience for Green Living Tips? What is their message, and what methods do they use to convey their message? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the approach?
The Birch Aquarium at Scripps aims to inform aquarium visitors about environmental issues, including climate change. As part of your field trip, we'll ask you to look closely at the climate change exhibit. Who is the target audience for the activity or display that you have chosen? What is its message, and what methods does it use to convey the message? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the approach?

Complete the first page of the week 7 assignment before going to the aquarium and the second page at the aquarium.

Practical information for getting to the Birch Aquarium at Scripps.

The Birch Aquarium is located on Expedition Way, about half-way down the hill to the beach. Here's a map.

By car, from North Torrey Pines Road, drive down Expedition Way. There is a large parking lot available for aquarium visitors.
By shuttle, catch the SIO van from in front of Peterson Hall (south of Solis Hall and north of the faculty club.) The shuttle leaves every 15 minutes (at 0, 15, 30, and 45 minutes past the hour). Shuttles are not big, so you can't all decide to come at the same time. Please plan accordingly. Tell the shuttle driver you want to get off at the aquarium.
On foot or bicycle, head down Expedition Way (starting from the Theater District or Revelle College, head west across North Torrey Pines Road). Caution: the hill is steep. On foot, allow about 20 minutes.

Once you're at the aquarium, meet at the education office entrance to the left of the gift shop. If it's after 4 pm, the education entrance will be closed, and enrollment lists will be available at the main entrance. Admission for our class is free, but you will need to be prepared to give you name and show your ID card.

The aquarium is open daily from 9 to 5. If you can't attend with your discussion section, you may go on your own. In that case, enter through the education office, and tell them your name and the class in which you are enrolled.