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Communicating About the Environment

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Abstract

When a natural resource professional says “environmental communication,” what do they mean? The concept couples two terms, both of which are probably familiar. Still, both of them encompass large areas of meaning. Attempting to state concise yet conclusive definitions for “environmental” and “communication” runs a high risk of failing. But, not defining one’s terms carries an even higher risk of causing confusion later. As for “communication,” the most popular American dictionary, the Merriam-Webster, gives this meaning: “a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior.” Communication seems the more intuitive concept of these two terms. But definitions only take you so far in grasping a concept. Understanding the process of communication can be enhanced through the use of models – graphic representations of some phenomenon. Numerous models explain how messages are sent and received and explain the many problems that can occur. The simplest model shows a sender selecting a channel through which a message is then transmitted to a receiver. For example, say you need to get a message to a fellow dormitory resident and decide to walk down the hallway and talk to them. You decided here to use face-to-face communication, with your voice and sound waves as your channel.

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Correspondence to Richard R. Jurin .

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Jurin, R.R., Roush, D., Danter, J. (2010). Communicating About the Environment. In: Environmental Communication. Second Edition. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3987-3_2

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