Greenversations

About the author: Lina Younes has been working for EPA since 2002 and chairs EPA’s Multilingual Communications Task Force. Prior to joining EPA, she was the Washington bureau chief for two Puerto Rican newspapers and she has worked for several government agencies.

Lea la versión en español a continuación de esta entrada en inglés.
Some links exit EPA or have Spanish content.

It’s been almost a month since our kids have been back in school. However, a radio report that I heard on the morning my youngest returned to school is still bugging me. In essence, the report mentioned that most students seem to “lose interest” in academic pursuits in middle school. The way parents, teachers, and the students themselves address the situation during that timeframe basically determines if they obtain a college degree or if they ultimately drop out of school.

I regret not having looked for the referenced study that same day, but I have found another article on why middle school matters that I’m sharing with you. I would like to give some suggestions, and welcome your opinions as well, as to how we can engage students to go on to college. I’m particularly interested in encouraging these young students to pursue careers in the sciences, mathematics and technical fields.

While Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft has been sounding the alarm for years now, I think that we as parents have to take a more proactive approach in encourage students to like science and math from an early age. We don’t have to be scientists ourselves, but we have to make science studies relevant to them. We should help them understand more about our environment. Children of all ages need to know that the simple steps they take at home, at school, at work, and in the community have a greater impact on the environment as a whole.

With this recent interest in having greener schools we can help our students learn more about renewable energy sources, the importance of protecting our water supply, air quality, greenscaping, etc. All these issues are based on science. Love for the environment does not come from a text book. It starts at home, our backyard or local playground. We shouldn’t wait until middle school to encourage them to discover nature. By then it might be too late.

I could go on an on, but I would like to here from you. How can we help our children become better environmental stewards while helping them do better in school?

Retorno a la escuela verde

Sobre la autor: Lina M. F. Younes ha trabajado en la EPA desde el 2002 y está a cargo del Grupo de Trabajo sobre Comunicaciones Multilingües. Como periodista, dirigió la oficina en Washington de dos periódicos puertorriqueños y ha laborado en varias agencias gubernamentales.

Hace casi un mes que los niños regresaron a la escuela. Sin embargo, un informe de radio que escuché la mañana en que mi pequeña regresaba a clases se me quedó en la cabeza. En el esencia, el informe mencionaba que la mayoría de los estudiantes parecen “perder interés” en los estudios cuando llegan a la intermedia. La manera en la cual los padres, maestros y los estudiantes mismos abordan la situación durante esos años básicamente determina si ellos obtendrán un diploma universitario o si abandonarán la escuela del todo.

Lamento no haber tomado nota del referido estudio ese mismo día, pero he encontrado otro artículo sobre el por qué la escuela intermedia es importante que comparto con ustedes. Quisiera brindar algunas sugerencias e invito que ustedes contribuyan sus opiniones al respecto sobre cómo podemos lograr un mayor interés de nuestros jóvenes para cursar estudios universitarios. En particular, estoy interesada en alentar a estos jóvenes estudiantes a considerar carreras en las ciencias, matemáticas y profesiones técnicas.

Mientras Bill Gates, el fundador de Microsoft lleva años dando la voz de alarma, pienso que nosotros como padres debemos adoptar un enfoque más proactivo por alentar a los estudiantes a interesarse por las ciencias y matemáticas a temprana edad. Nosotros no tenemos que ser científicos de profesión, pero sí debemos hacer los estudios de ciencia más relevantes para los jóvenes. Debemos ayudarles a entender más sobre nuestro medio ambiente. Los niños de todas las edades deben saber que los pasos sencillos que toman en el hogar, la escuela, el lugar de trabajo y en la comunidad tienen un gran impacto en el medio ambiente como tal.

Con este creciente interés en tener escuelas más “verdes” podemos ayudar a nuestros hijos a aprender más sobre las fuentes de energía renovables, la importancia de proteger nuestra suministro de agua potable, la calidad del aire, y la jardinería verde, etc. Todos estos asuntos están basados en ciencia. El amor por el medio ambiente no proviene de un libro de texto. Comienza en el hogar, [http://www.epa.gov/epahome/home.htm] en el patrio, en el parque local. No tenemos que esperar a la escuela intermedia para alentarlos a que descubran la naturaleza. Para esa fecha, podría ser demasiado tarde.

Podría continuar argumentando sobre el tema, pero quiero escuchar su opinión. ¿Cómo podemos ayudar a nuestros hijos a ser mejores guardianes del medio ambiente mientras les ayudamos a ser exitosos en sus estudios? Sus comentarios son bienvenidos.

Each week we write about the science behind environmental protection. Previous Science Wednesdays.

About the author: Grace Camblos is a writer and photographer. Since 2006 she has worked as a student services contractor with the Office of Research and Development’s Science Communication Staff.

If an EPA scientist were to tell you, “we use Bayesian analysis to find the range of possible parameter values for our pharmacokinetic models”…would you know what she meant? What if you read in an EPA report that “exposure to residual oil fly ash increases airway reactivity and pulmonary eosinophils during allergic sensitization”?

If you have a background in science, those phrases might make perfect sense to you. But what about those of us without degrees in molecular biology or organic chemistry?

To a large chunk of people, the language of science seems full of mysterious jargon and phrases designed to make our eyes glaze over – or worse, that threaten to overwhelm us and make us feel stupid.

As a writer with EPA-ORD’s Science Communication Staff, it’s my job to translate the language of science into words that everyone can understand, regardless of their familiarity with science. I help write the articles, press releases, fact sheets and web copy that people might find as they browse EPA’s Web site.

Translating science into English can be challenging, to say the least. It’s a balancing act: my words need to be accurate enough to convey what the scientists really mean, but understandable enough to keep the readers interested. It does no one any good if I write about a fascinating, important study, but the reader gives up after the first two sentences.

My own lack of a science background actually has advantages in this situation. I have no problem asking questions when talking to scientists, because if I don’t understand, then there’s a fair chance that readers won’t either. (On the other hand, not having a science background does make getting through those dense scientific reports more difficult. But then, it’s my job to read through the science-ese so others don’t have to. Just think of me as the Cliffnotes version of EPA science.)

Communicating EPA’s science to the public is an important job. As a federal agency, we’re answerable to the public, and clarity of language goes a long way toward more transparency in government. Plus, as more people understand and support the work we do to protect the environment, more funding for environmental protection may come available, creating yet more chances to do good work.

Good science communication: It’s a win-win idea.

To read articles written by the Science Communication Staff, check out www.epa.gov/ord.

Each week we write about the science behind environmental protection. Previous Science Wednesdays.

About the author: Darius Davis is a summer intern in Cincinnati, Ohio.

I recently graduated from Withrow University High School and plan to attend Ohio State University in Columbus, OH in the fall of 2008. I will be studying Chemical Engineering with a minor in Pharmacy.

This is my second year interning at EPA through the black employment program. I feel that this program has not only opened up many opportunities for me, but allowed me to get a hands-on experience in the science field. The last two years I have worked in two different areas at the EPA. The first year, which was my junior year in high school, I worked with microbiology and this year with drinking water. While in the microbiology area, I worked and did experiments with E.coli bacteria. The name of this experiment was UV Disinfection on E. coli Bacteria. I really enjoyed working in this area because there were many chemicals involved and we used a lot of different machinery in order to carry out the experiment. This year with drinking water was also very interesting. I was able to work with a database and observe a lot about the copper pipes, which were sent in from various locations throughout the country. I was then able to make reports about the pipes and what we observed from them. The objective was to figure out why the water that ran through these pipes were forming holes in the pipe and what could be done to prevent the holes from forming within the pipe. While at EPA, I was also acknowledged for my once in a lifetime achievement of receiving the Gates Millennium Scholarship. This scholarship covers ten years of my college education through my doctoral degree at the college of my choice with ALL expenses paid, including one year of study abroad.

I feel that working at the EPA really broadened my horizons on what all goes into making the environment a better place to live. This experience also made me more confident with studying the sciences when I attend college. Anyone who is ever offered an opportunity like this one should definitely take advantage of it, because in the end it will all be worth it!

Each week we write about the science behind environmental protection. More Science Wednesdays.

About the author: Aaron Ferster is the lead science writer-editor for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. Previously, he has worked as an exhibit writer for a zoo, a first-mate on a whale watch boat, an elephant trainer, and as a stage hand for a travelling magic show.

I have a close friend who is a talented fiction writer. Occasionally, we good-naturedly give one another a hard time about our chosen crafts. “You get to make stuff up—how can anything be easier than that?” is my rhetorical reply whenever she points out what a painless gig I have as a science writer at EPA.

While I can’t speak for other science writers, I might just have to admit that what I do is easier than creating fiction. There never seems to be a shortage of fascinating stories unfolding at labs and field sites wherever researchers or engineers are running experiments, gathering data, or building the next prototype. And I’ve got the added benefit that my personal interests—the environment and human health—dovetail perfectly with EPA’s mission.

Come to think of it, I might be kind of spoiled.

I’m not the only one who has noticed there are a lot of good science stories being generated at EPA. If you’ve followed “Greenversations,” you’ve probably noticed the strong current of science that runs through many of the posts. Regular contributors include Robert Lackey, a senior EPA scientist who writes often about salmon restoration from EPA’s Western Ecology Division lab in Corvallis, OR; and Sandy Raimondo, a research ecologist from EPA’s Gulf Ecology Division lab in Gulf Breeze, FL who recently wrote about environmental research and sailing.

It’s a trend. The wealth of good science stories here at EPA has led me and my fellow Greenversations bloggers to declare that Wednesday posts will now be for science. “Science Wednesday” will feature experiences related to environmental science, brought to you by scientists, engineers, researchers, and perhaps the occasional science writer from across EPA.

Future posts will include entries on a long-term study on urban stream restoration, EPA’s ecological research programs, investigations on suburban runoff and the impact of pavement and parking lots, coral reef monitoring, research on the state of the marine environment, and many, many others on environmental science.

“Science Wednesday,” because you really can’t make this stuff up.

About the author: Dr. Robert Lackey is a 27-year veteran senior scientist in EPA’s Office of Research and Development’s Corvallis, Oregon research laboratory.

Very young children have a habit of asking innocent, but thorny questions. My grandson, however, has reached an age where innocence no longer passes for an excuse for his questions; he knows enough now that his questions reflect the traits of a budding intellectual troublemaker.

A case in point: here is my answer to his question about the increasingly popular term: ecosystem health.

“Grandpa, in school today in my science class, we talked about healthy ecosystems. My teacher says that when we are not feeling well, we go to a doctor to find out how to get healthy. If I have a sick ecosystem, she says that I should go to a scientist find out how to make the ecosystem healthy. Dad says you are a scientist, so what is a healthy ecosystem?”

It is a good question and one that I, as a research scientist who has worked on such issues for over 40 years, should be able to answer with ease.

This seemingly straightforward question, however, does not have a simple answer. Further, the answer requires a clear understanding of the proper role of science in a democracy (PDF) (7 pp., 39K) .

First, how is a person to recognize a healthy ecosystem? Many might identify the healthiest ecosystems as those that are pristine. But what is the pristine state of an ecosystem? Is it the condition of North America prior to alterations caused by European immigrants, say 1491? Or perhaps it is the condition of the land sometime well after the arrival of immigrants who came by way of the Bering land bridge, say 1,000 years ago? Or maybe it is the state of North America prior to the arrival of any humans, say more than 15,000 years ago?

Ultimately it is a policy decision (PDF) (16 pp., 173K) that will specify the desired state of an ecosystem. It is a choice, a preference, a goal.

Scientists can provide options, alternatives, and possibilities, but ultimately in a democracy it is society that chooses from among the possible goals (PDF) (6 pp., 157K) .

A malarial infested swamp in its natural state could be defined as a healthy ecosystem, as could the same land converted to an intensively managed rice paddy. Neither the swamp nor the rice paddy can be seen as a “healthy” ecosystem except through the lens of a person’s values or policy goals.

Once the desired state of an ecosystem is specified by someone, or by society overall through laws and regulation, scientists can determine how close we are to achieving that goal. They might even offer some approaches that might better achieve the goal. Ultimately, though, it is society (PDF) (5 pp., 21K) that defines the goal, not scientists. One person’s sick ecosystem is another person’s healthy ecosystem.

So the answer to my grandson’s provocative question is that human health is not an appropriate metaphor for ecosystem health. There is no inherently “healthy” state of ecosystems except when viewed from the perspective of societal values.

Pristine ecosystems (wilderness watersheds, Antarctica, uninhabited tundra) are certainly very different than highly altered ecosystems (farms, city parks, harbors) but neither a pristine ecosystem nor a highly altered ecosystem is scientifically better or worse — just different.