Re: Envirocare -How to promote dialogue?

[RadiumProj@cs.com]

Hi Charles:
I "feel your pain" as our current President so often has stated. I've 
addressed hostile audiences on issues of environmental radiation regarding 
proposed nuclear facilities and come close to being assaulted by the classic 
"little old lady in tennis sneakers" whose feelings against all things 
nuclear was so strong they could no believe the facts being presented. 
Nevertheless, there are more effective ways to reach the general public and 
influence attitudes toward nuclear endeeavors. Being hostile and dismissive 
of the anti-nuclear views and feelings of your critics is however, not going 
to have any effect but increase the level of opposition.

I've found over many years that there are ways to make your opponents think 
the issues through. A hard sell does not work. Proponents have to be able to 
pose questions that the concerned citizens and even antis must answer for 
themselves. Critics must realize and come to recognize [with a gentle assist 
from proponents of controversial technologies] that they have a serious self 
interest in not seeing trivial radiation risks demonized and exaggerated, 
since there are ultimately costs [and not just financial, but environmental, 
climatic, and strategic] that the general public and even the activists must 
also bear.

Good luck.

Stewart Farber
Public Health Sciences
172 Old Orchard Way
Warren, VT 05674
email: SAFarberMSPH@cs.com
[802] 496-3356
============

In a message dated 1/10/01 10:43:35 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
cmigliore@envirocareutah.com writes:

> Subj:  RE: Envirocare -How to promote dialogue?
>  Date:    1/10/01 10:43:35 AM Pacific Standard Time
>  From:    cmigliore@envirocareutah.com (Charles Migliore)
>  Sender:  radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
>  Reply-to:    radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
>  To:  radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu (Multiple recipients of list)
>  
>  I agree with all the comments made about my comment. But... My frustration
>  at the hearing (where I was a  member of the audience) stemmed from my
>  inability to convey my own limited knowledge to address every irrelevant 
(to
>  the subject of the meeting) concern. Envirocare as a company sorely needs 
to
>  improve how effectively "we" educate the public about what we do here. Keep
>  in mind that everything I write here are only my own views.
>  
>  Charlie Migliore
>  Environmental Coordinator
>  Envirocare of Utah
>  cmigliore@envirocareutah.com
************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html