Environmental communication is “the dissemination of information and the implementation of communication practices that are related to the environment. In the beginning, environmental communication was a narrow area of communication; however, nowadays, it is a broad field that includes research and practices regarding how different factors (e.g., institutions, states, and people) interact with regard to topics related to the environment and how cultural products influence society toward environmental issues”.
The need of the hour is to make the public aware of the consequences of the environmental degradation, if not corrected and reformative measures are undertaken, would result in the extinction of life. It is also necessary to face the various environmental challenges and to act accordingly to make the acts eco-friendly. The major challenges ahead are the following:
- Population Exploitation:
A population of over thousands of millions is growing at 2.11 percent every year. Over 17 million people are added each year. India accounts for 16 % of the world population, but with only 2.4 percent of the land area. This makes considerable pressure on the natural resources and reduces the gains of development. Hence, the greatest challenge before us is to limit population growth. Although population control does automatically lead to development, the development leads to a decrease in population growth rates. For this development to happen, knowledge of women is essential. The future population growth has to be linked to the resource base in order to have sustainable development.
- Reduction of Genetic Diversity:
Immediate measures to conserve genetic diversity need to be taken at the earliest. At present most wild genetic stocks have been disappearing from nature. The protected areas network like sanctuaries, national parks, and biosphere reserves is isolating populations. Remedial steps are to be taken to check decreasing genetic diversity.
- Agricultural Growth:
The people must be acquainted with the methods to sustain and increase agricultural growth without damaging the environment. Fertilizers and pesticides are causing major threats to the environment in the form of soil and water pollution. It is evident that it is very difficult that these chemicals will be kept out of the soil, water, and food chain if they are extensively and continuously used in crop production. Highly intensive agriculture has caused soil salinity and damage to the physical structure of the soil.
The Role of Media Media in the Conservation of Natural Resources
Media is the most reliable tool for passing information to as many people as possible in the shortest time. Since media is of different types i.e. newspapers, radio, TV, and other forms, it is able to reach as many people from different backgrounds and of different language groups. Since a community is a group of people with common goals or objectives, media brings people from different backgrounds together by making them understand that they have the same common problem, therefore creating a community whose main aim is to curb environmental degradation through mitigation and enhancing environmental conservation. Thus people from the grass-root levels who listen to local vernacular stations, to those in the regional, national, and international levels through other forms of media are brought together by media and aim at achieving a common goal that is achieving environmental sustainability.
Mass media plays a crucial role in community participation in environmental management. Through awareness of the public, provision of information which has been done through research by various media houses, and communication e.g. through radio, television, journal, and newspapers have encouraged community participation thus enhancing resource management and conservation. Therefore media is an important and crucial tool in mobilizing the community to come out and participate in environmental conservation. In order to achieve environmental sustainability, it is of great importance to integrate media as the means of bringing the community together and passing the information about the importance of environmental conservation
