When I first saw this video produced by WWF Canada, I thought “that’s so clever.” But when I watched it again, I thought “that’s so disappointing.” Bottom line here: You have to know a lot about global warming already to get anything from this little stunt. It’s preaching to the choir, and it won’t win over many converts to our point of view on the problem.
It states a true fact — and illustrates it in a snazzy way. But the billboard completely fails to address two crucial questions that everyday citizens ask themselves when confronted with an environmental problem:
How does it affect me?
If you are totally clueless that sea level rise threatens inhabited areas before you see the billboard, you will still be totally clueless after you see the billboard. And many citizens are clueless about this.
What can I do about it?
If you don’t already know that you can do something about this before you see the billboard, you still won’t know that you could do something after you see the billboard. The statement on the billboard now is so matter-of-fact that it somehow implies inevitability.
If it was my billboard, I’d slap a picture of a home or a school on there, that would slowly succumb to the rising waters, to illustrate that this problem will affect you. And then I’d replace the factual-but-meaningless statement that “Ocean levels are rising faster than ever” with something more empowering or action oriented, like:
“You can stop this. Learn how: http://saveourclimate.cn”
Almost there, WWF Canada. Please try again.
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I agree that what the average person will come away with is a feeling of “so what?” Any relevance of this statement is lost on the viewer, regardless of whether the science supports the statement or not.
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