Dover is right in the middle of the state; one of the biggest problems in the area (that I know of, and that are talked of a lot) is the zoning laws. A lot of people around here have goats and chickens, but live in residential areas (I wrote about this before, being at a friend's house and having the chickens and goats on their back porch while we partied inside). Within the state, very little comes up when I ask google to find me "Delaware environmental concerns." A lot of topics give me a plethora of reading (remember my Nemesis? TONS of pages on the Camelback Cricket!) Cape Henlopen State Park is having a controlled burn to reinvigorate the area, ecologically speaking, and make it less likely to have an out-of-control wildfire. Because we are about an hour from the beach, beach issues pop up a lot. There are concerns about the rise in the sea level, and the problems with the quality of water being dumped into the Chesapeake Bay area, and there have been some (two, maybe?) public forums on the overall plan for a "pollution diet" (their words!) for the Bay.
Honestly, though, I consider myself a bit of news junkie, and the environment never seems to come up. I listen to local News radio every day in the morning and evening, I'm constantly on the internet news sites, and there isn't much there to hear--nothing being reported, anyway. I wonder if it is because so many people turn off when they hear something about the environment, or if there really isn't anything to tell (which I doubt). Is it just that murders and politics and business is more sexy to news media?
And maybe that's part of the problem with environmentalism: the public perception. Environmentalist reporting seems to come into two camps: crazy militant or crazy. I saw an article where some group was freaking out at a car company for using "The Lorax" characters to advertise their "green" car (I'm not sure if it was electric or hybrid). The group was very upset that the car company would use The Lorax to sell an SUV, because clearly cars hurt the environment. They're lashing out at advertising. I know more about that than I do about my own environment. If someone where to start writing about the issues with the Chesapeake Bay watershed, would anyone even want to listen? Or would it just be written off as people complaining, causing a panic, bothering the public with ridiculous little problems that don't actually matter in the grand scheme of things?
I guess what's I'm actually writing about then: the lack of quality information on the subject, and the lack of a quality audience to listen. I don't know that's it possible to reach a new audience here, and I speak from my own experience. I've read the stuff I'm supposed to for this class, but I haven't really enjoyed it. I wouldn't have picked up any of it if I hadn't been assigned it. Yes, it's all very good writing. But even after reading it--especially Terry Tempest Williams--I do not know that I'd be able to write it, or even want to. I feel like anyone who would want to read it would already be a convert; I'd be preaching to the choir. And maybe that's why I don't seem to find much with a basic search.
"...zoning laws. A lot of people around here have goats and chickens, but live in residential areas (I wrote about this before, being at a friend's house and having the chickens and goats on their back porch while we partied inside)."
ReplyDeleteI have never considered that zoning laws might pose a danger to the environment--and the quality of life of people (apart from the incongruity, say, of have a business engaged in some form of erotica peddling near a school). Your fear is my own, that we've a hard time finding quality information and an audience to which such information makes for effective decision-making. To succeed, both are required.
Murder is more sexy huh? Your word choice made me laugh. :) You know, I think the problem is that there are so many problems and those problems involving people are more press worthy. A problem with the Chesapeake Bay isn't as sensational, unless large amounts of wildlife starts dying off.
ReplyDeleteI've never tried to write these kinds of things before this class either.
Honestly, I think a lot of the lack of discourse has to do with how depressing many environmental issues are, when we are forced to think about them. Take global warming, for example. One issue is that folks are sick of hearing about it and, as a result, become anesthetized to it. The other issue is that so many environmental problems seem huge and overwhelming: can one person really *help* with the problem of global warming? Even though if each person did something small it would add up, it's hard to see that perspective.
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