Earth Fest in Uptown Park

Miami University just recently held its annual Earth Fest celebration in Uptown Park on Saturday, April 18th. The weather was beautiful and so was the turn out. A variety of local environmental entities, such as the Butler County Stream Team and the Parks and Recreation Department, offer information and activities to Earth Fest attendees, both Oxford residents and Miami students. This very Conservation Biology class hosted a booth for the Miami Monarch Project—a student effort to bring awareness to the plight of the monarch butterfly.

Events and efforts such as these are effective ways to combat the “nature disconnect” issue that is outlined in an article by Nalini M. Nadkarni. Nowadays, people are having “more virtual rather than actual experiences,” Nadkarni argues, which causes individuals to rapidly develop disconnect with the natural world. It’s up to the scientists (or at least science communicators) to repair this nature disconnect experienced by the general public.

“Scientists must go beyond the typical modes of scientific communication if they are to motivate the large pool of nonscientists to understand and conserve nature.”

While some academics may not consider communication “real work,” Nadkarni points out that scientists’ “passion about what they study is infectious and can inspire others to take an interest in science.”

A performed reading of monarch migration.

Exploring the topic of environmental communication, Nalini Nadkarni examined six nonscientific ventures and audiences—religion, health, art & music, decision makers, urban youth, and prisons—many of which focused on the idea of “inspiration." A sick person can view a tree and feel inspired to recover. Artists and musicians can use nature as creative inspiration, and their displayed art can act as a way to connect and inspire even more new audiences. Nature can provide “regeneration and renewal” inspiration to inmates looking to change.

Monarch face painting was offered to Earth Fest attendees!

What’s most important is “linking activities that engage the scientifically unaware to research that directly or indirectly relates to the audience’s own activities and interests.” So using nature to inspire art is a way to invest artists in the natural world and hopefully create concern for its wellbeing.

Similarly, the Miami Monarch Project offered a variety of activities—face painting, seed plantings, and reading performances—in an informal setting to offer connections to the monarch butterfly in many different ways. Ultimately, Earth Fest is great example of efforts to raise awareness of environmental concerns and motivate action.

I would encourage scientists and nonscientists to all attend next year!