Environmental Crisis
The Environmental Crisis is it real? IN the section " The Environmental Crisis is it real?" the author Barbara Ruben tries to explain why media coverage of the environmental situation has been skewed.In the early 90's there was an "environmental backlash" in the media that tried to downplay the environmental situation. Some articles and books would twist science to their advantage proving their point, using phrases like "some scientists say" or "experts agree" to support their claims. But environmental groups did not help the situation when they didn't use the whole truth in their arguments, and in doing so had to be regarded with the same amount of skepticism as politicians. In the media's haste
Such a factor would obviously bias the results of the scientists. 1, sec 1Environmental conditions are deteriorating In this article, adapted from a speech by Al Gore, he sites examples of two major reasons for the degradation to the environment. Through the use of technology we see our role in the environment as one without concern for the consequences. The first factor he points out is overpopulation and the fact that the population has more that doubled in the last 45 years and in the next 45 it is expected to redouble. Gore proposes a responsible and reasonable slowing of the population growth and that we find a more efficient way of using our water supply. In addition this large population will heavily reside in developing countries that will probably not be able to provide the accommodations. Possibly the worst thing about the confusion on environmental issues is that by the time the debate is resolved, it may be too late to fix the problem being disputed. Some of the scientists that claimed other things such as CO2 were damaging the ozone layer, were funded by some of the largest utility trade associations. Some of the obvious flaws if the research of these problems lied in funding. to offer balanced coverage of both sides of the issue, journalists would use any opposing source regardless of its scientific credibility. At times on some issues such as the ozone layer it was so bad that newspaper readers in different cities would be told opposite reports. These reports ranged from: the problem is not that bad, to the problem will fix itself, to the problem is not a problem at all, to the problem is a problem. For instance we pollute a large percent of the scarcely available fresh water with toxins and human waste. The second major factor in environmental degridation that is mentioned is that emergence of new technologies that magnify our negative effect of people on the environment.
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