The Octopus
The following two paragraphs are part of an editorial I wrote for EJ Magazine, published by Michigan State University’s Knight Center for Environmental Journalism. They asked me to share my thought on current trends in environmental journalism, and after I wrote it, I decided it was important to share it here…
Cover of EJ Magazine
Over the last ten years, I have become increasingly more sensitive to the effects that “doom and gloom” stories can have on young people, as well as adults. While filming a recent project about the ocean, I asked a third grade student what he liked about the ocean. He said, “The dolphins are being killed and the coral are dying. We need to save them.” I paused and said, “That is what is wrong with the ocean. Now what do you like?” He looked at me with a slightly furrowed brow, when suddenly his face lit up with a smile. “I think octopus are really cool because they can fit their bodies into a tiny soda bottle.”
I believe that we do a great injustice to the next generation when we make them think about all the things “wrong” with the world before they get to experience what is “right.” My current work is focused on creating beautiful, clever, funny and family-friendly stories about the natural world. These are serious times, with current media focused on disasters from the financial crisis to global warming. I hope we can give adults and children more reasons to celebrate the world around us.
I encourage you to read the other ideas about environmental journalism featured in the article Guiding Grads, as featured in EJ Magazine.
– Laura Sams
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