Environmental Messages in Online Media: The Role of Place

Abstract

Online environmental messages are examined through the use of focus groups. These messages are derived from short online videos and an interactive Internet tool called the “ecological footprint calculator.” Subject responses are compared and contrasted across two axes of differentiation: Americans versus Norwegians, and journalism students versus petroleum engineering students. Responses of focus groups drawn from these four stakeholder types show the importance of place in online environmental communication. Place takes four general forms: (1) a dimension of the audience, (2) a dimension of the text, (3) an aspect of interactive online communication, and (4) a figurative understanding of social networks. In general, it is argued that effective online communication regarding environmental risks and problems requires sensitivity to these four different aspects of place. In particular, it is argued that place images in online videos should be carefully tailored to their social and geographical place of reception, including local environments but also geographical variations in environmental attitudes. In addition, interactive online simulations should be tailored to the user's sense of “home,” particularly attachment to one's nation-state. Similarly, efforts to promote pro-environment attitudes should make use of online social networks by treating them like places in their own right, with local norms and customs, ideals and ideologies. Based on this argument, a key finding of the study is that while responses to an interactive online “footprint calculator” are generally positive, and show benefits relative to online videos, the limited ability of users to select their (self-identified) “home” undermines the tool's effectiveness.