Keeping up with environmental news doesn’t need to be overwhelming. With just 2hrs a week, you can stay informed and save the rest of your time for other cool sh**. Here’s how I use 3 everyday mediums to stay informed and stay sane.
Social Media
You can get environmental news from any social media outlet, including snap chat (Nat Geo’s snaps are rad), but my go-to for the latest breaking news is Twitter. You can follow a few of the big players in the industry and get the main gist of what’s going on in a matter of minutes. If something particularly interests you and you have time – read an article or two.
Following groups on Facebook and getting news from your friends is also a good way to stay in the loop, especially if you’re interested in local environmental news. Follow a few community groups to stay in touch with what’s going on in your own neighborhood, not just the big headlines from around the world.
Note: As with any algorithm-based platform, you should make it a point to branch out regularly so you don’t get confined to a smaller and smaller bubble. Make it a point to search for random things you wouldn’t normally, or look for views from an opposing angle. This will keep your feed fresh and give you a more rounded opinion of environmental issues.
Reading Articles
There are so many intriguing posts circulating the webs… correction – there are so many intriguing and eye-catching titles for posts… followed by a lot of fluff. Competition for our attention and the nature of Google’s search algorithm has devalued the content we see every day. Marketers flare tempting post titles that are rarely backed up and authors tend to bolster content around a few solid points to help with their SEO.
To cut through the crap and get on with my day I’ll often use a trick I learned in college.
Read the intro paragraph and the conclusion right off the bat. That should give you a pretty good idea of what the post is about and whether it’s worth your time. You can also read the first and last sentence of each paragraph if it’s a longer read and you want more detail. This is a good strategy for the more formal, scientific pieces.
Podcasts
Podcasts are my new favorite way to get info and amuse myself during downtime; especially while traveling. I keep a queue of about 8 podcast subscriptions that cover a variety of topics (mostly environmental and tech). Where social media and trending posts often become redundant, I’ve found that podcast episodes can vary quite a bit and it’s easier to dive deeper into a topic when you’re listening.
For a few recommendations, check out my post on environmental podcasts.
Image credit: cjr.org