Two published resources

[Paul Orum <paul_orum@yahoo.com>]

Today is a good day to post two resources:

[1] "Public Participation in Contaminated Communities," a report by Nicholas Ashford of MIT (1999).  This is an in depth study of public involvement in cleanups at seven contaminated communities.

See http://www.mit.edu/ctpid/www/tl/TL-pub-ppcc.html


[2] "Improving Dialogue with Communities," by Caron Chess and Peter Sandman of Rutgers University (1988).  This 30-page guide includes simple instructions for those who must communicate risk information to communities.  It includes "Ten Ways to Lose Trust and Credibility" among other useful material:

1) Don't involve people in decisions that directly affect their lives.  (Then act defensive when your policies are challenged.)

2) Hold onto information until people are screaming for it.  (While they are waiting, don't tell them when they will get it.  Just say, "These things take time," or "It's going through quality assurance.")

3) Ignore People's Feelings. (Better yet, say they are irrelevant and irrational.  It helps to add that you can't understand why they are overreacting to such small risks.)

4) Don't follow up.  (Place returning phone calls from citizens at the bottom of your "to do" list.  Delay sending out the information you promised people at the public meeting.)

5) If you make a mistake, deny it.  (Never admit you were wrong.)

6) If you don't know the answers, fake it.  (Never say "I don't know.")

7) Don't speak plain English.  (...use professional jargon...)

8) Present yourself like a bureaucrat.  (Wear a three-piece suit to a town meeting at the local grange, and sit up on stage with seven of your colleagues who are dressed similarly.)

9) Delay talking to other agencies involved.

10) If one of your scientists has trouble relating to people, hates to do it, and has begged not to, send him or her anyway.  (It's good experience.)

This guide, from 1988, lists:  

State of New Jersey
Department of Environmental Protection
Division of Science and Research
CN 409
Trenton, NJ  08625
(609) 984-6072
(609) 292-2885