In our modern world, stereotypical environmental activists, with all their eccentricities, come off as crazy and not very productive. Chaining themselves to trees, screaming at polluters and demonizing corporate heads usually does not make one seem like the sanest of folk.

World-renowned author, organizer and environmentalist Bill McKibben spoke in Hendricks Chapel last Wednesday, showing campus a different course of action.

In a speech filled with statistics, examples and humor came a powerful message: The passionate crusades of environmental advocates fall short from actual change because they are not taken seriously.

When you think about national and international environmental organizations today, courses of action often bridge on social divides. PETA throwing red paint on fashionistas wearing fur divided its audience — made people angry, made people crazy, brought hatred and extremism. Even seemingly passive protests polarize people.

When people are pinned against each other, when livelihoods and pride are at stake, nothing will change. When people’s belief systems are offended, they will grip deeper to those beliefs. The Sierra Club’s protest of Pacific Northwest logging practices brought a huge backlash from foresters and loggers.

Think of how politics come to a standstill when there is too much partisanship. Democrats and Republicans can come together when they compromise and constantly work on their teamwork skills.

If you want to make change in the world, you have to work with many different kinds of people, not just your friends.

McKibben gave two great tips for working well with others of a nonenvironmental mind: Show we are a diverse and professional group. Be taken seriously. Prove that we are a broad group that knows what we’re talking about.

We have science on our side — chemists, biologists and engineers. We have lawyers and communicators. We have artists and artisans. We come from New York and Beijing, and everywhere in between.

We have credibility; we just need to prove it.

This should be our top priority if we wish to make change to governmental practices and gain far-reaching results. At the same time, the extreme and eccentric do have their place, but we must be wary of using guilt to persuade.

Guilt is a strong emotion, one that is often too hard to handle. It may turn people to your cause because they feel obligated, but it also will shove people in the other direction. By telling someone he or she is bad, has done wrong or has chosen the wrong actions, it brings negativity to the situation. Bring encouragement and show people solutions instead.

As McKibben said last week, we truly are the real conservatives because we are conserving our home — the earth. We are not the radicals. We are the protectors of the past for future generations.

Conserve our world through inclusivity and professionalism. Be taken seriously. Be heard.

Meg Callaghan is a junior environmental studies major and writing minor at SUNY-ESF. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at mlcallag@syr.edu.

Published on October 17, 2012 at 2:59 am