Having studied the environment for the past year, I have become familiar with the science behind many of our top environmental concerns including global warming, loss of biodiversity, air and water pollution, deforestation and desertification, among others. What I have found is that the science often does not support the general public’s opinion. There appears to be a delay between when the scientific research is completed and when the scientific results are disseminated to the public. This disconnect between research and timely dissemination leads to the public’s distorted sense of reality.
Why is this disconnect important? Within the democratic society in which we live, the political party we elect decides upon environmental policies, actions and funding. If a disconnect exists between scientific research and the media, do citizens have the knowledge to elect the correct party?
This will be an ongoing column that will utilize online polls to understand how the public’s view of the condition of our world’s environment compares with scientific facts. In each edition I will post a series of simple poll questions (see questions below on global warming). The data from the polls will be analyzed and presented in the next edition, along with my opinion and scientific facts relevant to the poll.
To read M. Williams's answers and explainations for these polls click here.
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