TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — On April 22, people around the globe observe Earth Day, an opportunity to practice gratitude for the life-giving bounty of the planet and to recognize efforts to protect the environment.
Since its 1970 origins, the day has been an occasion for people and groups worldwide to urge collective action to reduce pollution and preserve the planet.
Andy Opel, Florida State University professor of environmental messaging, is available for interviews with reporters covering Earth Day to discuss how messaging is constructed and how it impacts social movements and public policies.
Andy Opel, Professor, School of Communication
Opel’s research interests include environmental communication campaigns and the connections between the environment, the media and consumer culture. He is a teacher in the School of Communication, where he teaches documentary film production and environmental communication. He was also a Fulbright scholar at the University of Bergen, Norway, in the 2019-2020 academic year. Climate Witness Project.
“After two years of a pandemic, I am focusing my research on climate solutions. The good news about renewable energy is that it is the cheapest method to generate a kilowatt. Also, the cost of electricity continues to drop. Despite the support of large numbers of voters for renewable-energy policy initiatives, we are not making the transition quickly enough. A key part of moving the policy agenda in the right direction is news media coverage of the solutions we can achieve, helping to get the public talking about how we can address the crisis and create a cleaner, more equitable society.”
