Biology 370 – Environmental Science
Name:________________________________
Environmental Science Lab #4
“Science, Awareness and the Popular Media”
(Variable Points)
INTRODUCTION
A critical component of environmental science is to identify, locate,
and retrieve scientific information – the process of research. Research is
essential to help you find a topic or narrow down the topic. A critical step to
successful research is to identify and evaluate other studies that have been
conducted because their results can assist you in formulating a hypothesis and
designing an experiment.
This week, you must evaluate the validity of the information source(s)
for many environmental topics. Print sources (e.g., books and articles found
in the library) traditionally go through an editorial process that involves
editors and fact-checkers verifying the information. The most reliable
information is from peer-reviewed journals. Peer review is a process used for
checking and verifying the work performed by one’s equals – or peers – to
ensure that it meets specific academic criteria. However, with the internet,
peer review is still generally not the case except for online versions of peereviewed journals. Anyone with a computer and access to the Internet can
post information or publish a Web site. Thus, there is no guarantee that the
information is accurate or true. Consumers of public information need to
learn to be critical thinkers. As citizens, we can shape environmental
policies and their implementation. But how is this done and on what basis are
environmental policies based?
The purpose of this lab is to evaluate the role that the population
media plays in presenting environmental information and in promoting (if
possible) environmental awareness. Specifically, we will (partly) focus on
the positive and negative contributions of popular print media. Second, you
will perform a “Survey of Environmental Attitudes” for yourself and ten (10)
individuals you know. You be responsible for administering and reporting
the calculated results.
METHODS
Part I – Science and the Popular Media
As a class we will generate a list of current and recent environmental
controversies. Next, you will select one of the controversies to research in
the popular media by finding two newspaper articles (at least one has to be a
local/regional newspaper and the other a national newspaper) and two news
magazine articles. You must find print versions of the articles; if you obtain
them from Web sites, be sure that you have access o whatever photographs,
figures, and tables were in the original story because they are important
components. Evaluate the positive and negative contributions of the media
coverage. Focus on the media’s ability to impart the information necessary
Biology 370 – Environmental Science
for the public to make properly informed decisions on the environmental
issues. Be sure to assess the ultimate source of the information, recognizing
that the information bay be biased because of vested (biased) or emotional
interests. Your ability to evaluate information is a key to completely
understanding environmental science concerns. Finally, you will submit a lab
report that answers the following questions. Be sure to turn in copies of the
articles or supply the links to the online articles.
For each article, you must address the following questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
What is the topic?
What are the titles of your four articles?
What are the qualifications and expertise of each reporter? Just
use the article to answer this without doing any independent
research on the Internet. Did you infer this or was it stated in the
article or byline (as in J. Smith has an M.S. in molecular biology)?
What are the qualifications/expertise of the expert
opinions/sources cited or quoted (do this for each person or
organization)?
Summarize and discuss the manner and degree to which vested
interests (e.g., economics, jobs, health) or emotional interests are
discussed in each article.
Could you tell the writers’ attitudes toward the issue? How?
Did the articles in any way change your perception of the issue?
Why or why not?
What changes would your recommend to these articles to improve
the communication of the scientific information?
What do you think is needed for the public to have a better
understanding of this issue? How can we use good
communication to help people take more responsibility for their
own understanding of the issue?
Part II – Environmental Awareness
During tomorrow’s lecture I will hand to you a copy of 10 questions
submitted by the Gallup Poll Monthly, 1991. In addition we, as a class, will
write and add five (5) additional questions to this list. You are responsible
for administering the survey to 10 (ten) individuals of your choice. They may
be family member, friends, or complete strangers. The answers will/must be
anonymous. Once you tabulate your results and combine them with the rest
of the class, we will compare them to the national survey conducted 18 years
ago.
Biology 370 – Environmental Science
The Gallup Poll Monthly – April, 1991.
“Americans Report High Levels of Environmental Concern”
1. Do you consider yourself to be an environmentalist or not?
_____ yes
_____ no
_____ no opinion
2. (If yes to #1): Would you say you are a strong environmentalist or not?
_____ yes
_____ no
_____ no opinion
3. How much progress have we made in dealing with environmental
problems in this country in the past 20 year? Would you say we have made a
great deal of progress, only some progress, or hardly any progress at all?
_____ great deal
_____ only some
_____ hardly any
_____ no opinion
4. How much optimism do you have that we will have our environmental
problems well under control in 20 years time?
_____ great deal of optimism
_____ only some optimism
_____ hardly any optimism
_____ no opinion
5. Do you think the American public is too worried about the environment,
not worried enough, or expresses about the right amount of concern about the
environment?
_____ too worried
_____ no enough worried
_____ right amount of concern
_____ no opinion
Biology 370 – Environmental Science
The Gallup Poll Monthly – April, 1991.
“Americans Report High Levels of Environmental Concern”
6. Do you think the government is too worried about the environment, not
worried enough, or expresses about the right amount of concern about the
environment?
_____ too worried
_____ no enough worried
_____ right amount of concern
_____ no opinion
7. Do you think business and industry are too worried about the environment,
not worried enough, or express about the right amount of concern about the
environment?
_____ too worried
_____ no enough worried
_____ right amount of concern
_____ no opinion
8. Here are two statements which people sometimes make when discussing
the environment and economic growth. Which of these statements comes
closer to your own point of view?
_____ Protection of the environment should be given priority, even at the risk
of curbing economic growth.
_____ Economic growth should be given priority, even if the environment
suffers to some extent.
_____ No opinion.
Biology 370 – Environmental Science
The Gallup Poll Monthly – April, 1991.
“Americans Report High Levels of Environmental Concern”
9. For each of the environmental problems that follow, please state whether
you personally worry about them a great deal, a fair amount, only a little, or
not at all?
Problem
A Great
Deal
A Fair
Amount
Only A
Little
Not At
All
No
Opinion
Drinking
Water
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
Pollution of
Rivers, Lakes,
Reservoirs
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
Toxic Waste
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
Air Pollution
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
Ocean and
Beach
Pollution
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
Global
Warming
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
Acid Rain
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
Loss of
Natural
Habitat for
Wildlife
Damage to the
Ozone Layer
Radioactive
Contamination
from Nuclear
Facilities
Loss of
Tropical Rain
Forests
Biology 370 – Environmental Science
The Gallup Poll Monthly – April, 1991.
“Americans Report High Levels of Environmental Concern”
10. Which of the following things, if any, have you or othe household
members done in recent years to try to improve the quality of the
environment?
Action
Yes
No or No Opinion
Voluntarily recycled newspapers, glass,
aluminum, motor oil, or other items
____
____
Avoided buying or using aerosol sprays
____
____
Contributed money to an environmental,
conservation, or wildlife preservation group
____
____
Specifically avoided buying a product because it
was not recyclable
____
____
Used cloth rather than disposable diapers
____
____
Boycotted a company’s products because of its
record on the environment
____
____
Did volunteer work for an environmental,
conservation, or wildlife preservation group
____
____
Cut your household’s use of water
____
____
Cut your household’s use of energy by improving
insulation or changing your heating or air
conditioning system
____
____
Replaced a “gas guzzling” automobile with one
that is more fuel efficient
____
____
Cut down on the use of a car by carpooling or
taking public transportation
____
____