Talking About Solutions

In this online article, Erin Oliver examines the power of environmental messages; how they might overwhelm the public; and how "the environmental community can be more effective agents for social change by identifying solutions and communicating about what the solutions are, why they will be effective, and how individuals can help bring these about."

The author points out that one of the reasons people choose the default position of hopelessness is that they don't see a personal role that can make a difference. Also, polls and focus groups point to the fact that people are sympathetic to biodiversity conservation but don't know what solutions might be effective. This presents an opportunity, as stated here, for building a constituency to promote policies and practices, including meaningful individual actions that contribute to larger solutions. "Education theory tells us that when individuals engage in a set of actions that they find meaningful and rewarding, they are more likely to engage in further commitments." Given this opportunity, as stated here, "[t]he biodiversity community at large needs to provide the public with those meaningful actions and affirm their effectiveness..."

The author advocates for breaking information into meaningful pieces so that "[p]eople who are willing to engage ... know how action “A” will affect problem “B” and the cumulative impact" and know which policies will work and why.

The challenge, according to the author, is to use powerful media messages about solutions and ways to address problems, through working with journalists, who understand that reporting on solutions, rather than exclusively problems, is not advocacy, but public information about choices and options.