climateadaptation:

Gah! Yet another flubbery enviro-PSA. It’s 2012. We KNOW the problems. People need to know the solutions! At 4 minutes and 20 seconds long, it dedicates 10 seconds(!) to a weak and wispy appeal to the public to “do something.” Well, like what? Their answer (like most enviro-PSAs) is that, “Citizens have responsibility of encouraging and supporting their politicians to make (policy) decisions.”

COME ON! People need a roadmap. Environmental organizations are getting crushed partly, imo, due to too much focus on the lazy activist approach (Sign my petition!).

In my opinion, environmental groups need exacting methods to embolden the public to actually influence policy. More focus on things such as,

• Since policy making is public, what, exactly, are the methods that the public can use to inform the policy?
• What is the proposed policy and who wrote it?
• How will that policy choice work?
• Where are draft policies located, online database, in an office drawer, or??
• Which meetings can the public attend to help shape the policy?
• Is there an appeals process?
• A comment period?
• Provisions restricting legal standing?
• How does one actually read a policy tweak and/or a recommendation?
• Where can one find the NGO’s proposed draft policy?
• Can the public influence the NGO’s proposed policy choices, too? How?
• Once the policy is in effect, how does it get implemented? 
• Will the policy be monitored? By whom?
• Can the policy be adjusted? Administratively or by court order?
• Where does the money come from to promulgate the policy and who enforces it?
• And, my personal favorite: How does one run for office?

Perhaps my crits are invalid. But, I know from working with city governments that policy makers do not want too many people involved in shaping policies and regulations. They prefer the “sweet spot” to show they’ve met their democratic obligations - not too little involved public, not too many public, but half-a-room of quiet folks is just about right.

I need evidence that campaigns such as the above are much more effective then showing people how to land a seat at decision making tables. Perhaps such evidence exists, but I’ve yet to see it. 

sunfoundation:

Overfishing visually explained

As part of their mission to reform destructive fishing practices, Ocean2012 explains the risk of catching too much fish, in motion graphics. I like the pixelated aesthetic.

garbagepro:

Away: A Story of Trash

Students partner with WEDU to educate viewers about where their trash goes when they throw it “away”, and what can be done to change current practices.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (May 3, 2011) — A group of St. Petersburg College video production students have teamed up with local PBS affiliate WEDU to produce and air a 30-minute television documentary.
The program, “Away: A Story of Trash” educates and entertains viewers about the history of waste management, the current practices and problems and what the average American’s perception of what “throwing away” garbage really means. The documentary shows how waste management has evolved from one man with a cart in Roman times, to the 243 million tons of waste that is collected every year and why we are soon going to have to find new ways to dispose of trash. 
“I hope that the viewers will be educated enough to be influenced to take action and reduce the amount of waste that we create, so we can preserve the earth for our future generations” said Executive Producer Katie Bishop .

“It’s really amazing to see how much work actually goes into it” she said, “The programs that waste management companies have in place, such as the Pinellas County waste to energy facility, really are the future of waste disposal.”
The documentary will explore four themes to educate viewers about landfills and waste management:

• History and Facts — How has waste been managed in the past? What kinds of technology do we possess today to improve these methods? 
• Public Perception — What do most people think happens to trash once it has been thrown away?
• Solution — What processes have been created to reduce the amount of solid waste? A look at the many recycling and disposal programs of Pinellas County.
• Education — What people can do to help, 3 r’s Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

“We are, as an organization, committed to providing local content to the communities that we serve and reach 16 counties in Central Florida through our public television station,” said Jack Conely, Vice President of Content for WEDU, West Central Florida’s primary PBS television station. 
“This sort of content is relevant locally, and we feel like we’re providing an opportunity to the students here in the media arts program to provide them with a real world type experience and give them something that they can have for their resume going forward.”

About St. Petersburg College:
In 1927, St. Petersburg College (then known as St. Petersburg Junior College) became Florida’s first private, non-profit, two-year school of higher learning located in downtown St. Petersburg. Full accreditation followed in 1931 and in 1948 SPC became a public college. 

In June 2001, SPJC officially became St. Petersburg College when Florida’s governor signed legislation making it the first community college in Florida to offer four-year degrees. On Dec. 11, 2001, the college received the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ accreditation to offer courses leading to bachelor’s degrees.

In 2002, St. Petersburg College began offering courses leading to bachelor’s degrees in Education, Nursing and Technology Management. The college’s commitment to its two-year curriculum, which has earned it wide recognition and annually wins it high national rankings, remains as strong as ever.
Today, SPC has eight learning sites throughout Pinellas County and recently became the first college in Florida to offer a four-year degree in Dental Hygiene. This program’s offerings augment its two-year program, which has been in operation since 1963. SPC added four-year degrees in Veterinary Technology, Public Safety Administration and Orthotics and Prosthetics in 2005.