Coastal Climate Extension

I haven’t talked to Dr. Fragile about his class, but it looks like a big part of the class is blogging. He introduces a film through a blog entry, and his physics students respond with their film analyses as blog comments or posts in their own blogs. The students have some great responses on TDAT, and you can check them out in the CofC Physics in Film blog here.

So much of the general public gets their information on climate change from the media, and that includes blockbuster films and those strange worst case scenario documentaries that show up on cable TV. I remember when I first found out that I got the job with Sea Grant, and I had to start explaining what I do to people unfamiliar with environmental science or planning. Peoples’ responses were usually, "Wow. So do you know Al Gore?" Really. I’m not kidding. I still hear it, too. I don’t have any specific research or evidence, but based on my experience, it seems like the media – and here, I’m specifically thinking of TV and film – is a huge factor with public perceptions of climate change. In terms of extension, does this help us because people have been exposed to climate-related issues? Or does it hurt us because people have been exposed to bizarre, unrealistic, and unbelievable portrayals of climate change (here, I’m thinking of TDAT, not AIT, which from a scientific perspective had a few issues with storms was otherwise scientifically decent)? Are there any opportunities for us to use some of what people have seen as a jumping point for outreach? Or do we risk having people think we endorse media portrayals, even if we’re just using public awareness as an opportunity for supporting and debunking climate perceptions? I don’t know, but I may have to have a movie night to consider it further. Thoughts? Please discuss.