We said in our previous article that ignorance in ecological matters, climate change and global warming is highly worrying and has much to do with the shortcomings of our education systems and the minimum centimetraje most media attach to these issues.

In this post we promised our readers a study on the spaces newspaper in the country dedicated to environmental issues such as ecology, climate change, global warming, endangered species, etc. Well, actually, we conducted this investigation and, unfortunately, the results are truly disappointing. The study covered the digital version of 30 of the most important newspapers in the country, located in the capital and in a wide range of interior regions.

Randomly chose two days to conduct the survey: Sunday January 31 and Tuesday February 9, 2010, so we would have a holiday and any business day.

First we set out to investigate whether there is a section or fixed, daily tab, called the environment, ecology or a similar name in the listings means. To our surprise we found a section of Environment only in a publication corresponding to Analítica.com, where the issue is with great dedication, with more than half a dozen articles daily, appropriately illustrated. In conclusion, the 30 newspapers examined 29 non-formal space dedicated to environmental issues, at least in those two days we examined.

Secondly we wanted to find out how many newspapers devoted some space to environmental news or articles in those two days. Sunday 11 periodic brought mentioned something about the issue, but 19 did not. That is, the day when most read newspapers, 63 of every 100 media did not refer to something on ecology, environment, climate change or global warming. But on Tuesday the result was even worse, because only 7/2 reseñaron any news or articles on the subject and 23, ie 77 out of every 100 do not mention the issue.

We know that sport and showbiz are two issues that attract large crowds and the reading is much more fun and enjoyable than the “annoying” issue of global warming or the “distressing” extinction of life on Earth. Some might say that anxiety have enough to fret with ecological problems.

However, they say that it is nothing more and nothing less than the fate of the human species. If we fail we extinguish. We can not fail. If we emulate the ostrich policy we run a great risk: hide head in the sand not to see the danger, believing that with this act, move away or avoid. We should not act in this way because for that humans are superior to the amazing ratites.

We are in a world of information, to the point that some argue that the information is the most valuable commodity. Someone who is more informed than another will be better prepared than that, and this is where newspapers should come as active players. The problems are serious and real, in front of our eyes is the accelerated deterioration. Those who know the history of Venezuela know that the ancient chroniclers refer rivers of the time, navigable for ships up to medium depth, especially in the Andes and other western regions, that day is not today more than streams and some even have dried full. It is undeniable that have declined in only five hundred years, negligible period in geological terms, where changes are measured in millions of years.

Faced with such evidence, there should be no excuse not to open a section of Environment. If the media began to give greater centimetraje the issue, then ignorance in ecological matters, climate change and global warming and population decline would become more aware. Newspapers could even lead to educational institutes somehow, for example with suitable material or by literary competitions of fiction or nonfiction that deal with these issues. They have to work and put more emphasis on the problem. If everyone put their bit perhaps we could avert catastrophe. If not, sooner or later we will reach beyond repair.

Sandor Alejandro Gerendas-Kiss