|
|
Planet Now
Blog on Effective Environmental Communication
|
|
Attempting to convince others to take action against climate change can sometimes feel like we’re digging into solid rock earth, dry from the increasing droughts from climate change. Words can be powerful, but they can also be tiresome. Communication isn’t just about written words. It’s possible—and effective—to use innovative communication methods like art and music to encourage environmental awareness. They can help more people understand the urgency of climate action. Art Mary Mattingly is an artist whose work combines nature and space to draw audiences. She has created structures reusing materials that raise awareness of environmental issues, which she calls “icons to my own consumption.” Mattingly came to UNC–Chapel Hill to discuss her work with climate. One of her projects was the Waterpod, a boat that grows food. Stewards could care for it themselves when they visited the boat during its five months in New York City. Mattingly built the Waterpod entirely from the waste chain in the city. The wood came from a stage used by the parks department. The soil was city compost. Further, the water used was pumped off rooftops and into tanks. The boat had a direct connection to its environment because the wake from other boats affected the ecosystem. Mattingly said it gave people the ability to see a microscopic ecosystem from a macroscopic view. Music More and more young artists are sharing the sentiment of climate change being a threat that looms over our generation. Lil Nas X, singer of “Old Time Road” (the longest song to be #1 on Billboard) said in a tweet that part of the song referred to climate change. Singers Billie Eilish and Lana Del Ray have climate as a “backdrop” to their music through imagery of a burning planet. Notably, as we continue to think about reaching audiences, this music may appeal most to young people already concerned about climate change. Nevertheless, it helps make climate change a more salient issue that people can think about rather than fear. These innovative and unique forms of communication are indeed impactful. “‘There’s some evidence, according to Anthony Leiserowitz, the director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, that art, and culture more broadly, can shift people into action on climate change. That more artists are addressing it, ‘is a mirror to the times,’ he said. It’s a reflection of our cultural understanding of climate change and also influences our perception of it,” wrote Kendra Pierre-Louis and John Schwartz in the Climate Fwd: newsletter in The New York Times. Want to learn more about environmental communications strategies? Make sure to check out Planet Now, the book!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Welcome to my blog! It is a combination of posts from my strategic writing (spring 2022) and personal branding (spring 2023) courses at UNC. I hope you will enjoy reading the posts and learning about the environment and communication.
|