Constructing a Comic to Communicate Scientific Information about Sustainable Development and Natural Resources in Mexico

Abstract

Nowadays sustainable development is a subject of particular relevance due to the Earth's environmental crisis, for which humankind is to a large degree, responsible. A possible way of addressing sustainable development is science education and communication. In principle, a society that is aware of environmental problems will be more participative than an uninformed one, and more committed and efficient when putting in practice measures to mitigate the environmental crisis. Sustainable development is a matter that concerns the Mexican public in terms of biodiversity and ecosystems conservation which in turn is relevant both to the country and to the entire planet.The importance of communicating science by means of narrative forms has been suggested by several authors (McKnight, 2010; King, 2007; Schank et al., 2002; Korkmaz, 2011; Frisch, 2010; Lanza and Negrete, 2007; Negrete and Lartigue, 2004). In this research I propose that comics represent an opportunity to communicate scientific information to low literacy communities and I also present an example of the use of comics in communicating information about the sustainable use of the Mayan Nut in rural areas in Mexico.