"A Primer on Earth Day Coverage That Doesn’t Suck"

"When The New York Times took note of the first Earth Day in 1970, it made the Times’ front page in an above-the-fold feature photo and a six-column headline pronouncing that “Millions Join Earth Day Observances Across the Nation.”

Now, 45 years later, Earth Day itself -— and the ensuing media coverage —- is a more modest affair. Recent reports have veered toward the inspirational (“Earth Day celebrates green cities,” Associated Press, 2014) and celebrity coverage (“Robert Redford link brings kudos to local Earth Day group,” MLive, 2014). But coverage appears to have thinned overall, with pieces that use the day as a peg to focus on environmental politics even more rare. Actual environmental science and health experts are not common presences in Earth Day features.

While journalists may be wary of Earth Day driving their stories, feeling perhaps that it is an arbitrary marketing tool, Earth Day nonetheless has broad public recognition. That is a sufficient cue for media to present the public with more ambitious and interesting Earth Day stories. The moment is especially opportune because the public’s familiarity with Earth Day can draw them into environmental coverage that they might otherwise skip -— on, say, climate change. (Oh, and heads up, editors: The AP Stylebook has just made “global warming” and “climate change” interchangeable, though it notes that the latter is “more accurate scientifically.”) Rather than settle for modest event notices on Earth Day activities, reporters would do better by seizing the public-spiritedness of the moment and contribute to deeper environmental understanding."

Anna Clark reports for Columbia Journalism Review April 20, 2015.

SEE ALSO:

"Earth Day Ennui" (Columbia Journalism Review: 2013)

"Green Like Money" (Columbia Journalism Review: 2010)

"Earth Day: Facts & History" (Live Science)