Improving public understanding of environmental issues through effective communicat.pdf

7/27/2019 Improving public understanding of environmental issues through effective communicat.pdf

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Communi tyRelations

Melissa A. Shetkr i s aPublic InvolvementSpecialisr in theEnvironmental andEmergency ManagementDepartment ofRoy F.Weston. Inc. inWashington,Dc.Fkrm-niaE. Mangone isaPublic ImoivementSperial is~n theEnvironmental andEmergency ManagementDepartment ofRoy F .weston, Inc.

IMPROVINGUBLICNDERSTNINGOFENVIRONMENTALSSUESTHROUGHEFFECTIVEOMMUNICATIONMeZissaAa ShetZerand FZarninia E a Mangone

A lack of understanding about the environmental implications of a proposedprojectmay cause thepublic to erceive a riskof inflated value an d, ultimately,bringtheproject toa complete andperm anent standstill. The a uthors outline an approachto public education and involvement that ocu ses on two-way ommunication andpromo tes the development of acceptablesolutions to critical environmental issues.OVER HE PAST wo decades, the American public has become increasinglyaware of and concerned about environmental risk. This heightened concern stemsfrom a crisis of public confidence in governm ent and industry, a growing awarenessof the potentially harmful by-products of modern technology, and environmentaldisasters and mistakes. Although concern is warran ted where risk is real, oftentimesa lack of understanding, due to a lack of information or ineffective communicationmethods, causes the pub lic to perceive an inflated degree of risk. The result can befear, panic, protests, an d, ultimately, temporary orpermanen t shutdownofaplanned

project.To close the information gap and improve public understanding, groups andindividuals responsible for commun icating information o n environmental issuestothe public need communication tools that will get the message across quickly,clearly, accurately, and objectively. These tools must ultimately provide for publicinput and involvement in decision-making,aswell as address the concerns and needsof all facets of the public, including citizens, industry, governmen t, and the media.It is important to recognize that groups respond to and leam from differentcommu nication methods.This article will discuss criteria for selecting communication tools, provideexamples of useful and innovative com munication ools, and examine the potentialbenefits of improved public understand ing of environmental issues.

CRITERIAOR SELECTINGOMMUNICATIONOOLSThere are no set criteria for selecting communication tools that can be appliedto a l l segments of the general population. Each co mmunity has its own level ofinterest and concern, social s m c t u ~ ,emographic makeup, and preference formean s by which information is accessed and input provided . Before any com muni-cation efforts are mad e, the party respo nsible for communicating information-wewill call that group o r individual the educator-must first evaluate the audience todetermine ho w effective and feasible comm unication links can be established. Thiskind of evaluation can be achieved in a nu mber of ways.In the case of a controversial environmental issue (for example, cleanup of aSupe rfund site, facility siting), the educa tor could conduct teleph one o r in-person

interviews with m embers of the affected commu nity to identify their concerns andTOTALV"Y ENVIRONMENTALANAGEMW/wlNlER 1991 92 113


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EdComm unication toolsand public involvementprograms need to growand adapt to changingdynamics of the public.

tailor the com munication strategy accordingly.This strategy, o r outlining of whichcommu nication tools will be used, should be a working document, o ne that can bemodified in response to changes in public attitude and preferences, demonstratedlevel of interest, and the proven effectiven ess (or lack thereof) of the strategyitself.Without conducting interviews, the educator can still determine which kinds offorums for information exchange are most appropriate for the community. Forexample, meetings could be held with area business owners i n a commun ity thatisprimarily industrial or commercial. Block association meetings would be moreappropriate in a residential setting.Funding and staffing constraints may affect the types of commun ication toolsavailable and feasible for use. The educator must examine what options andalternative resources are available within a community itself, draw on existingte so u rc es , and combine and use several different commun ication tools to reach thecommunity.No single com munication tool is effective in a l l situations. The educator must

be flexible. W hat is effective today may not be tomorrow, and what is effective forone group o r audience may not be effective for a different group. Comm unicationtools and public involvement programs need to grow and adapt to changingdynamics of the public.TYPESF COMMUNICATIONOOLSComm unication tools fall into two distinct categories: (1 ) one-way communi-cation tools and (2 ) two-way commu nication tools. The uses of each are detailedbelow.ONE-WAY COMMUNiCATlON TOOLS

One-way communication tools disseminate information. The purpose of thesetools is to inform the public so that it may provide meaningful contributions to thedecision-making process. To a large extent, traditional public outreach programshave emphasized one-way com munication tools.These t o o l s a n include fact sheets, newsletters, information brochures, pressreleases, and public serviceannouncements. Beyond these traditional techniques liesa wealth of media through which the public can become better educated. School,university, and public libraries could loan out videotapes on specific env ironmentalissues or case studies. These videotapes couldbeproduced by public service groupsand given to businesses interested in promoting a green image. Videotapefranchises, for example, could stock tapes on environmental themes in a section ofthe store dedicated to tapes on health and commun ity issues.Other educators, including corporations,public agencies, and foundations,could produce interactive videos (videos that require input from the user, such astouching a screen or pushing a button) on an environmental theme. These videoscould be displayed in public museums and libraries. Information could also bedisseminated on-line, through personal computers available at universities andpublic libraries.TWO-WAY COMMlJNiCATiON TOOLSRecen t trends in the development of public outreach programs areplacing moreemphasis on two-way com munication tools. Two-way commu nication tools pro-mote interactive, face-to-face open discussions and allow forboth he educator andthe public to learn about one anothers concerns and how best to address these

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dEstablishing a publicinformation telephoneline may be anespeciully useful toolwhen cost andsite-related constraintspreclude theestablishment of apublic informationcenter or visitorcenter.

IMPROVING PUBUC UNDERATANDING OF EWIRONMENTAGSSUH HROUGHFFECTIVEO M M u N I c A n O Nconcern. True understandingof an issue or situation is not possible without theinvolvement and interaction that two-way communication tools provide.

One-way communication tools are still useful, however, for establishing initialcommunication with the public. Once initial contact has been made and the publichasbeen informed,public input and involvement in the decision-making process aresolicited t h u g h he useof two-way communication tools. These tools can includeestablishing public information telephone lines and visitor centen, forming citizenadvisory committees, conducting focus group sessions and specialized groupmeetings, and holding public hearings, along with many other innovative commu-nication tools.

Sound, educated decisions regarding environmental ssues require open dialogueamong al parties involved in, affected by, and/or responsible for addressing theissues.

Traditional one-way communication tools are valuable in the communicationprocess, but in order to capture and hold public interest and to motivate publicinvolvement, the use of one- and two-way communication tools in combinationprovides the basis for establishing comprehensive public involvement and commu-nication programs. This combination provides educators with the ability to reachdifferent segments of the public and to accommodate different learning needs andpreferences.

The followingisa discussion of two-way communication tools that canbeusedto establish communication links and help promote increased public interest andinvolvement. Possible drawbacks that can be associated with each of these tools arealso discussed.Establishing Public Information TelephoneLines

This type of tool provides the local community with easy, quick access topersonsworking on specific environmental issues. It also provides the educator withinsight and a direct communication link to the public.

The benefits of establishing the public information phone line are that it is notonly relatively quick and inexpensive, but i t is also a very effective method forestablishing a first line of two-way communication between the educator and thepublic. Establishing a public information telephone line may be anespeciallyusefutool when cost and site-related constraints preclude the establishmentof a publicinformation center or visitor center. But it should be kept in mind that the publicinformation phone line isjust one of the first steps in establishing communicationlinks; additional tools are needed to create a complete public involvement andcommunication program.

One drawback of the public information phone line is that it does not allow forface-to-facecommunication and thus may be perceivedascold and impersonal f notcombined with additional communication tools. Also,many people have an aver-sion to answering machines and may get frustrated if their call is not answered byan individual or, at least, returned immediately. Immediate, personal contact,however, is not always possible due to staffing and other resource constraints thatmay be associated wth the project Another drawback of the phone line as acommunication tool is that individuals, especially hose in lower incomeareas,maynot have readyaccess to a telephone.Public Informarion and Visitor Centers

Public information centers can be very exciting and educational for bothT ~ A Lu m NVIRONMENIXCANAGEMMIWIKTEU991192 115


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Citizen advisorycommittees aUow forextensivepublic inputand oversight on issuesaffecting localcommunities.

children and adults. The ability to cre ate centers w ith hands-on interactive displaysadds to the uniqueness of s uch facilities. The education al process could be furtherenhanced by using local university professors and students to assist in the develop-ment and staffing of a visitor center.A large amount of interest and enthusiasm ca n be generated by the public fromthe use of public information and visitor centers. Th e potential exists for thesecenters to provide such in-depth and comprehensive information that formerlynegative public opinion and views on issues may be changed due to improvedunderstanding of the issue.The creation of such centers, however, can be resource and labor intensivedepending on the size and complexity of theCenter. In addition, the public m ay notalways be able or willing to visit the center due to schedule constraints (for example,center hours are day hours only) or, with respect to on-site centers, the perception thatthe center is not safe to visit from a health and/or safety standpoint.

MELISSA. &K TZE R AN D F W N i A E . MANCONE

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Citizen Advkory CommitteesCitizen advisory committees are often established for longer-tern, more com-plicated environmental issues that affect a comm unity. Examples include siting ofdisposal facilities, remedial cleanup actions, and oversight of agency or companyactivities affecting anm a . A successful example was the establishment of a citizenadvisory comm ittee after the Exxon V aldez oil spill. The com mittee was establishedto oversee activities of a seven-mem ber oil consortium to ensure that safe and propermeasures are taken during oil transportation. Through cooperation, commitment,and comm unication (on both sides), the committee is having a significant effect oncompany operations.Citizen advisory committees allow for extensive public input and oversight onissues affecting local communities. The opportunity for establishing positive,interactive communication between the educator and the public is enhanced.Advisory committees also tend to increase communication not only between theeduca tor and comm ittee mem bers but within the local comm unity, too. Members ofadvisory committees are likely to communicate back to the rest of the communityissues and decisions discussed during comm ittee meetings.

Theestablishment of citizen advisory committees can be very effective, but alsovery time and resource intensive. For a com mittee to be effective, it must be wellorganized and have realistic and clearly defined goals, expectations, and objectives.Furthermore, without commitm ent from a l itsmembers, acitizenadvisorycommitteeis likely to be unsuccessful.Focus GroupsFocus groups are ideal tools for obtaining qualitative, detailed feedback oninformation needs of a comm unity. The y tend to be established for sho rt durations,meeting f or a few days of intense brainstorming on specific issues, and then m ay becalled together at different times throughout the development of education orcom,municationprograms for fu rther clarification of thoughts and ideas.Focus groups areextremely valuable for gaining insight into a comm unity, whatissues are important to a community, ho w a com munity communicates, and so on.They a lso provide the com munity insight into what information an educ ator is tryingto get across and why. It is beneficial to have a cross-section of communityrepresentatives, that is, individuals from different occupations, age groups, yearslived in the local area, and so on. This will ensure a more com plete representation of


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I t can be more usefuland effective to usepublic meelings andhearings incombination withseveral other two-waycommunication took,such as small groupmeetings andfocusgroups.

different views and ideas held by community members.Focus groups can also increase public involvement, interest, and com munica-tion among community members because participants in the focus group will tendto bring thoughts and ideas discussed in group meetings home and discuss them withfamily members and neighbors.Focus groups must al so be very organized and have goals, expectations, andobjectives clearly defined and stated. If the purpose of the focus group is not clearlydefined and deliberationsarenot facilitated properly, participants may come awayfrom meetings feeling that little was accomplished.Thismay cause frustration anddiscourage people from participating in future meetings.

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Small or Specialized GroupMeetingsQpically,smallgroupmeetingsartconductedwithspecificgroupsofindividuals,for instance, local officials, citizens focus groups, media, civic/environmentalgroups,or area business ow ners. Specialized group meetings usually are conductedwhen a community consists mainly of one type of group (that is, industrial areaversus a residential area).Small group m eetings can establish positive, interactive working relationshipsbetween the educator and the public. Oftentimes communication is more effectivein smaller group sen ings than in large public meetings. Smaller numbers of peopleallow citizens a greater ability to voice opinions, ideas, and concerns. This is onevery effective way of establishing positive rapport with media representatives,making them allies rather than opponen ts-rhus helping to ensure accurate infor-mation reporting by the media and to promote responsible journalism.When holding meetings with several different groups, the educator must ensurethat information discussed with each group is consistent and accurate-he or sheshould not comm unicate thoughts or ideas to one group and then change the messagefor a second group. Also, s much as possible. the educator should try to schedulethe meetings around th e audiences schedule and locate the meeting at a siteconvenient for the majority of the participants. Critical to the effectiveness of themeeting is timely follow-up to questions that the educator was unable to answer atthe meeting.Public Meetings and HearingsPublic meetings and hearings can be used effectively to disseminate informa-tion, at one time,toala rge number of persons, but they are not always the best meansof communicating information. Large public meetings may set the stage foremotionaloutbursts and disruptions,causing the discussion o get sidetracked.Also,in ala rge meeting setting, answeringallquestions is difficult due to time constraints.The educator should develop a clea r-cut agenda and allow a reasonable amount oftime for audience feedback and questions.It can be more useful and effective to use public meetings and hearings incombination with several othertwo-way comm unication too h, such as small groupmeetings and focus groups. The educa tor mustmi ignore any opposition group. Heor she should make every effort to meet with key opposition groups prior to thepublic meeting todiscusstheir specific concerns. It might also be appropriate for theeducator to meet with other groups (for example, area businesses, communitygroups, block associations) in advance of the meeting to allow these groups toexpress their concerns, ideas, and opinions in a less formal and impersonal setting.

Focus group meetings or specialized smaller group meetings may also be held


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MEUSSA . S I ~ E ~ ~ E RND F w m A E . MANWNE

dNewspaper, magazine,television, and radbrepresentativescan bean invaluable source ofcommunication tools.

&erthe public meeting. The educatormust allow time for information stated duringpublic meetings to settle in with people who attended the meeting and give thecommunity time to sort through the information, then set up smaller group meetingsto gain better understanding of how the community perceived the information.Meeting in smallergroups allows both the community and the educator the abilityto clarify informationCREATIVEPPROACHES TO TH E US E OF COMMUNICATION TOOLS

When trying to establish communication links with the public, the traditionalcommunication tools canbe valuable, such as press releases, fact sheets, publicmeetings, and so on, but to capture and hold public interest and to promote publicinvolvement,creativity and innovative deas certainly help. Creative approachescaninclude the following.Mobile Laboratories

Local and/or state government agencies or local colleges or universities coulddesign and operate mobile laboratories focusing on environmental issues. Using abus, the educator could design a program with hands-on interactive experiments anddisplays. The mobile labs could be brought to different neighbofioods throughoutthe summer monthsanddifferent schools each weekormonth during the school year.Expertise from college professors and students could be drawn upon for assistancein designing and staffiig the mobile un ts. Mobile unts as described here couldprovide a unique educational tool to schools, local communities, and individualsothenvise not able to access traditional information resources.Working with LocalMedia Representatives

Newspaper, magazine, television, and radio representativescanbean nvaluablesourceofcommunicationtools.Theeducatorcouldtap heexperience andknowledgeof individuals n these fields and their abilityto interact with the local community andhave them help develop and distribute videotapes, public service announcements,brochures, coloringbooks,andsoforth addressing ocal and national environmentalissues.Working with Local Environmentaland Civic Groups

This is a very effective and interesting way for communicatingwth the public.Many groups publish informational brochures and magazines that are both educa-tional and eye-catching. Working with these groups to incorporate specific issuesinto their materials can help the educator effectively reach large numbers ofindividuals.

The educator could invite representatives from these groups to speak at careerday or begin an annual J3nvironmentalWeek program during which representa-tives from diffenmt environmental professionsgive presentations on their work. Orthe educator could have a representative lecture in science class or have the classspend a day at one of the environmental group offices to experience activities andefforts being taken to address environmental issues.

When developing communication tools or education programs, it is importantthat the educator remember to keep current with the needs, concerns, and interestsofhis or her audience. The educator should review, analyze, and research how theylearn and what their interests are and search for creative means of communicatinginformation using the advice and assistance of local resources and experts in the

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Companies that haveimplemented andpromoted successfulcommunity involvementprograms are m r elikely to be viewedfavorably and havegreater pub lic supportduring thecontroversial times.

!WROVlNG PUBUC UNDERSTANDINGOF ENWRONMEMALSUES THROUGH EFFEC~VEO M M U M c A n O Ncommu nication and education fields. Above all, the educator must be flexible.Comm unication tools and public education programs need to grow and adapt tochang ing priorities and interests of the public.How CANCOMPANIESBE^ FROM I~~PROVEDOMMUNICATION?With increased public awareness of environmental issues, it can be in acompanysbestinteresttoimplement ndpromoteenvironmentaleducationpmgrams;such programswill have a positive effect on their role in comm unity affairs, theirpublic image, and on the corporate bottom line. Consum ers todayare increasinglyinclined tobuytheproductsandseIvicesofenvironmentallyconsciousandresponsiblecompanies.Involving he public in decisions regarding emergency planning and prevention,permitting and licensing, and facility siting and expansion efforts has become arequirem ent in many cases. In addition,SARATitleIII eporting requirementshaveincreased community awareness and concerns related to facility operations, andpublic invo lvemen t in the oversight of facility operations s a recent and growingtrend.Public opinion can greatly affect the growth and developm ent of any com pany.Companies that have im plemented and promoted successful community involve-ment programs are more likely to be viewed favorably and have greater publicsupport during the controversial times (for examp le, new fac ility siting, emergencyincidents). The consequences of not addressing public involvem ent and not beingprepared to effectively communicate with the public can lead to grave financialproblems for a company. Negative public opinion and pressure can bring companyoperations and projects to a standstill.One way in w hich companies can promote a positive reputation is to involvetheir emp loyees in issues affecting the local area and inform them about companyenvironmental policies. Developing company environmental policies and educatingemployees on how the company, and in turn the employees themselves, are pos-itively contributing to the protection of the environm ent can promote pride in thecompany and emp loyee interest in comm unicating these positive efforts to thecommunity. This is an effective way to promote continued education and commu-nication throughout a community.Companiescould also offer to the general public and schools informational oursof their facilities. They can organize committees comprised of environmentalactivists, recycling coordinators, government agency representatives, corporatemanagers, and the general public to assist in the design of environmental publiceducation programs. Companies also can hold brown bag luncheons for employ-ees to discuss environm ental opics/issues affecting their comp any, along with otherlocal and national issues.CONCLUDINGHOUGHTS

Due to increased public awareness and concern of environm ental issues at thelocal, regional, and national levels, effective communication tools and publicinvolvement programs are necessary to promote continued public education andinvolvement in important decision-making processes.It is very impo rtantfo r companies to regain public confidence and trust inorderto move forward and succeed in solving existing and preventing future environmen-ta l problems. To date, many companies have taken great efforts to sustain, and insome cases regain, public confidence. and many h ave m ade po sitive strides through

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MELISSA . SHET~ERND F MNIA E . MANWNEimplementing effective public com munication and education programs. For theseefforts to continue, we need strong leaders and educators who believe in and promotethe conceptofsafe development and technologicalprogress whilestillpreservingtheenvironment.

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Improving public understanding of environmental issues through effective communicat.pdf