I've written before about the death of newspapers. And as Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum describe in their recent book, Unscientific America, science and environmental journalism seems to be suffering disproportionately. Here's more evidence that Chris and Sheril are right, from the Columbia Journalism Review:
At a time when the environmental challenges we face are enormous and when the need for good environmental reporting is greater than ever, it is very sad to learn that environmental journalism will no longer be available as a specialty in one of our leading schools of journalism.For the first time since it was created fourteen years ago, Columbia University's highly regarded dual-degree graduate program in environmental journalism will not be accepting applications for next academic year.
In a letter to faculty at the Graduate School of Journalism, the Department of Environmental Sciences, and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, the program directors cited falling employment in the field, the rising costs of education, and a lack of financial aid for students as the reasons for their decision.
Hat tip: Joe Romm
This entire disaster with BP is idiocy. The amount of petroleum spilling into the Gulf of Mexico sprung up by thousands of drums Wednesday right after an subaquatic robot ostensibly shook the containment cap that has been catching petroleum from BP's Macondo well. I question how much devastation this entire catastrophe is going to cost the ocean when it's all said and done
Hi just to add something here, I would like to suggest we all take a little more care in the planet since man is destroying it. Please help if not for yourself, think about our children for God Sake. I am doing my part please do yours.
The gulf oil spill is surely one of the most disgraceful events of our current century. While the destruction of the twin towers was limited to that relatively small area of ground zero, this oil spill stretches out across the sea, impacting innocent animals, long stretches of coast as well as industry of the southern USA. I really pray that this disgrace to BP is sorted out as soon as possible.