In Conservation Magazine, award-winning journalist David Ropeik explores why we worry too much about some environmental risks and not enough about others
For Conservation Magazine David Ropeik points out an interesting phenomenon he called the “perception gap.” It’s the gap between our fears and the facts. He describes his how his 55-year-old friend has cut way back on eating certain species of seafood because the government says those species may carry high levels of mercury. But the levels of mercury in those fish pose almost no risk to 55-year-old males, although they can be risky for fetuses and infants. What’s more, the fish his friend is forgoing are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which protect against heart disease—a very real threat for 55-year-old men.
At Trout Headwaters, we see that the plight of our freshwater resources also fits into the category of an ecoperception gap. Because in most places in the U.S. we can open a tap and get all the fresh water we want, there is a lack of acceptance and appreciation about the state of our nation’s freshwater resources, and the number of people around the world, who live without access to clean water.
A growing body of research into the neuroscience and psychology of fear and risk perception offers some provocative answers. Investigators are discovering that our health and safety rely on a system of risk perception that is instinctive—and mostly subconscious. It seems that no matter how hard we try to reason carefully and objectively, our brains are hardwired to rely on feelings as well as facts to figure out how to keep us alive. In other words, we may not get it until we’re thirsty or sick from water-borne illnesses.
Until recent modern times, the system has worked well. But in the face of modern and complex environmental threats, it can make dangerous mistakes. Ropeik argues that perhaps it’s time to tap into the power of rational analysis and attempt to better understand how risk perception works. It’s time to learn how to avoid the risks that the perception gap creates.
Read more: http://conservationmagazine.org/2012/09/the-ecoperception-gap/
