Scientists and Advocacy
Like many scientists today, I often feel the need to speak out when I see decisions being made which are based on little or no science, have no rationale besides simply the generation of dollars, and which are likely to have deleterious impacts on the environment. Furthermore, I am also deeply distressed by the general lack of understanding of science amongst the public, the apparent disconnect between the services provided by ecosystems and the increasing resource demands of a growing human population, the low participation in science programs in the schools, and the overall repression of science by our government, including the muzzling of government scientists. How do I speak to these issues while still maintaining my integrity as a scientist?