The Beauty of Simplicity

One of the single most important rules in writing for a wider audience on a scientific topic, is simplicity. And when I say, simplicity, I do not mean “dumbing down” as I often hear. I mean creating a narrative that is accessible to a thoughtful person who is interested in the topic but does not have the depth of background. Unfortunately, simplicity can be elusive. Some quick tricks that may help are listed below:

• Keep sentences short and to the point. If a sentence starts to run on too long, then break it up into two or more.
• Try not to use words that are more complicated than necessary, requiring that your reader hunt down a dictionary with every other sentence.
• Omit needless words that clutter the sentence. For example, “a number of” can be replaced with “several” or “many”.
• Similar to above, omit empty phrases. For example, “As mentioned earlier…” or “It is interesting to note that…”
• Use the active rather than passive voice whenever possible. Doing so will keep the writer more engaged. Plus, it’s just better.
• If after several tries, you cannot make a sentence work, then scrap it and start over. Maybe even move on and come back to it later when you are thinking more clearly.
• And, perhaps most important of all, if you don’t understand what it says, then neither will your reader.

Elizabeth Striano
Science writer and editor
www.agreenfootprint.com

 

References, References, References

I cringe when I see that a scientific article I am about to work on has reams of references at the end. I suppose I should have the opposite reaction: lots of references mean a well-researched and documented submissions. Right? Unfortunately, that’s not quite the entire story. Lots of references typically mean lots of mistakes and lots of extra work for the person who has to clean them all  up (me!). To that end, I have included here some quick pointers on citing and including references in your scientific (or even other!) article.

 

1. In-text citations. An in-text citation should be included for all references that are listed in the “References” section of your article. The reverse is also true: if you include an in-text citation, then make sure you include the full reference in the list. The format for the in-text citation should match the requirements of the style guide used by the publication or journal to which you are submitting your article. For example, ACS requires (author last name, year). Speaking of which…
2. Style guides. Be sure to format your in-text citations and references in a way that is consistent with the style guide used by the publication or journal. There are many, many style guides out there, with varying levels of similarities and differences, APA, ACS, AP, Ecology, etc. Regardless of the style is used, know it, and use it, and double check your work afterward. And I highly recommend that you buy or borrow the book and refer to it often until the style has become comfortable and familiar to you.
3. Zotero. Have you tried this tool yet? A great way to not only keep track of all your references but to organize them and … wait for it … even format them! It’s free, it’s fantastic, and it has hundreds of style guides to choose from just waiting to be applied to your reference list. Before you get too excited, Zotero is not perfect (did I mention it is free?), so you will have to go in and do some cleanup after importing. But overall, highly recommended.
4. Reference list. Please make sure that each reference includes all required fields, typically all author names (et al. is not a substitute for the names of additional authors); title of publication; journal name (if a journal); publishing company and publishing company city, state (if a book); journal volume, issue, page numbers. Please alphabetize them, and sub-organize them in accordance with the style guide. For example, ACS requires all publications by a the same single author be listed first; followed by same author, with a single co-author; followed by same author with multiple additional authors — all listed chronologically within that author’s listings.
5. Electronic resources. Most style guides have been updated recently enough to have addressed most issues you will run into with using websites and other electronic resources. Typically, if you are referencing a journal article that is accessed through an online database (i.e., Sciencedirect, cabi.org, etc.) you would treat the journal article as a journal reference and not as an electronic reference.
6. Google scholar. This fantastic tool is indispensable for double-checking references, filling in missing information, etc., in addition to its original use for conducting your initial research.

The biggest mistakes I see are related to not following the proper style guide including: incorrect format for author names; missing journal information; and capitalization problems for publication titles (some require initial caps; others first-word initial caps only). The best way to ensure that you’ve done a good job, is to review your references with as much attention as you give to the content of the article. They really are that important.

Elizabeth Striano
Science writer and editor
www.agreenfootprint.com

An Acronym for Everything

I find that I always do particularly well on any Jeopardy categories having to do with figuring out the full phrasing behind an acronym (my kids love the show; trust me, I’ve had enough). There is a simple explanation for this (useful?) “skill” — I spend a good deal of my professional editing hours spelling out acronyms in articles, manuals, and other publications that I edit. Apparently engineers and scientists love their acronyms. And although acronyms can be useful when used judiciously to replace an overly long title, name, or process, overuse can be problematic for the reader. Overuse of acronyms can reduce comprehension and reading completion.

Most scientific journals require, at the very least, that all acronyms be spelled out on first use with the acronym following the spell out in parenthesis. All subsequent references can then use the acronym, unless the acronym falls at the beginning of a sentence; in which case, the full phrase/name/title should be used. I would, however, go a bit further and suggest that acronyms should be chosen and used carefully and avoided when possible even for journal articles. Acronyms may be appropriate for commonly used terms in that field (still following the rules above, of course). It’s important to remember, however, that the audience of that particular journal may be broader than the specific field for which the article is written. So careful choice of acronyms is important to avoid losing readers from other fields who may otherwise be interested.

For general news publications, however, virtually all acronyms should be avoided. Readers are unlikely remember what an acronym stands for later in an article after having been introduced to it for the first time at the start of that article. Common sense exceptions to this include acronyms for federal agencies or other proper names (for example, diseases) that are used frequently in the media, and, are thus familiar to the public.

Finally, it’s important to get the acronym right. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve seen a writer do the “right” thing by spelling the acronym out only to get it wrong. Usually by one word.

P.S. My other acronym-related skill is deciphering custom license plates, which are plentiful here in Virginia. I’m pretty sure there used to be a game show for that as well!

Elizabeth Striano
Science writer and editor
www.agreenfootprint.com

Scientists versus the Media

Recently, I was speaking to an ecologist and researcher who has dedicated his life to successfully protecting ecosystems throughout the United States. The conversation shifted to media coverage of his efforts. He told me about a reporter who had contacted him to ask about one of his projects and how he had instructed the reporter to “educate himself” on the topic before an interview could take place. He followed up by sending the reporter reams of documentation including scientific reports and journal articles. Needless to say, the reporter never called back. A lost opportunity.

Unfortunately, the ecologist/researcher did not see it this way. He did not understand why the reporter did not appreciate the additional information he sent. Or why a reporter would call for an interview without a full understanding of the topic first. There was a note of frustration in his voice, which perfectly captures the divide between scientists and the media.

I think a better understanding of how the media works might have helped significantly in this situation. First, it’s important to understand that most journalists work under severe deadlines — perhaps they have a few hours to complete the story. Or a couple of days, if they’re lucky. There is little to no possibility that the journalist would have had time to slog through reports, articles, and web sites. Particularly technical materials, which will be filled with terminology, acronyms, and other information with which the journalist is unfamiliar.

Second, journalists typically have a broad range of topics that they cover. So even the “science” journalist may cover many topics ranging from nanoparticles to medicine to ecology. There is simply no way that any journalist could be completely knowledgeable about so many fields — no more than any researcher could be.

Finally, the journalist wants to be able to explain to his or her readers the “so what?” about the research. Why should the reader be interested in this research? How does it affect their lives? Often, that information is not captured clearly in any report or article. That information can only come from the researcher.

In this case, a bit more understanding and patience would have gone a long way. At a time when science seems to be playing a rapidly diminishing role in decision-making, I think we need to take every opportunity to bring science to the public as possible.

Green Your Conferences, Meetings, and Events

Sometimes, nothing beats a face-to-face meeting. Unfortunately, conferences, meetings, and other events require electricity, heating and air conditioning, ground transportation, air travel, and they produce paper, food, and water waste. The good news is that there are ways to minimize the environmental effects, particularly as facilities become more aware of the need to provide sustainable solutions.

Choose a Green Facility

The first, and perhaps most important, step to “greening” an event is to work closely with your potential meeting facility early in the planning stages. Communicate your organization’s desire for an event with a reduced environmental impact, and make it clear that preference will be given to facilities with environmental goals that align with yours. Then, once a facility is chosen, incorporate environmental priorities into the contract.

Some things to look for:

• Natural lighting and a comprehensive recycling program.
• Mass transit services and bicycle parking.
• Energy management system to reduce electricity and HVAC demands.
• Certification (e.g., U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED) or energy- and water-efficient equipment and practices.
• Conveniently placed recycling containers in all key meeting and gathering areas.
• Clean-up crews trained to keep recyclables out of trash.
• Facility staff trained to close blinds, turn off lights, and HVAC in unused areas.

Reduce Emissions from Travel

To reduce the impact of travel, try to select a destination city that is close to the majority of participants and is served by direct flights. Multiple take-offs and landings result in higher emissions from air travel. For smaller meetings, consider attendee incentives like reimbursed public transportation costs or a special drawing or recognition for car-poolers.

Other approaches:

• Choose a destination city with good public transportation that connects the event venue with major transportation hubs and accommodations.
• Offer a videoconference option.
• Use alternative fuel vehicles in a guest shuttle service.
• If taxis must be used, select companies offering hybrid vehicles.

Help Guest Go Green

Choose hotels with environmental certification, such as from Green Seal (www.greenseal.org). For larger meetings, look for conveniently located hotels that are either within walking distance of the venue or close to public transportation. And be sure to provide guests with information about accommodations with environmental certification or policies and practices. For example, ask guests to participate in hotel linen reuse programs and shut off lights, televisions and air conditioners or heaters when leaving their rooms. You can also work with hotels that employ laundry water-saving programs and ask them to reduce frequent replacement of linens, soaps, etc.

Consider Food and Beverage

Look for food service providers that use reusable service ware and that serve water, beverages, condiments, and other food items in bulk to eliminate packaging. Other ideas include:

• Request locally produced food and beverages to cut transportation emissions.
• Ensure the venue has a food donation program for leftovers.
• Conduct a careful head count of attendees to minimize waste.
• Consider providing refillable beverage containers for attendees.

Minimize Conference Materials

Waste reduction options include digitizing event literature so that it is available online, rather than handing it out on paper. Such measures may only save minimal amounts of waste in the context of the whole event, but can quickly add up. Other options include:

• Use certified paper (Forest Stewardship Council or Sustainable Forest Initiative) or paper that is processed chlorine free and made from a minimum of 30% post-consumer recycled content.
• Use printers and photocopiers that are Energy Star certified.
• Choose suppliers that provide low-carbon products or services.
• Match print runs to registered attendees.
• Ask speakers not to include written materials, but to provide upon request.
• Use materials that are reusable and/or contain post-consumer recycled content.
• Double-sided printing for promotional materials and handouts.
• Avoid mass distribution of handouts and allow attendees to order copies.
• Cardboard recycling in exhibit area.

Use Offsets

Once conservation and carbon reduction strategies are exhausted, emissions that cannot be eliminated can be offset. Renewable energy certificates (RECs) may be used to offset electricity used during the event and carbon offsets can emissions from air travel, energy use, and vehicle use. It is essential to choose a certified provider to ensure that reductions in greenhouse gases actually occur (such as from http://www.green-e.org or http://www.nativeenergy.com).

Communicate Your Efforts

From the beginning, make sure attendees are aware of your environmental efforts so that they too can become stewards. Your event’s website, program, press releases, opening, signage, and post-event publications can all deliver your message. Large event organizers may want to set up an onsite sustainability booth to provide information about the event.

Links

U.S. EPA’s Green Meetings Initiative
Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Conferences
Government Canada’s Green Meeting Guide
Meeting Professionals International
Convention Industry Council
Blue Green Meetings

Elizabeth Striano
Consultant and writer on sustainability and the environment
www.agreenfootprint.com

Helping you leave a green footprint on the world…

How To Write An Environmental Policy

A well written environmental policy statement can provide a unifying vision that will guide the actions of a company’s employees, management, shareholders, customers, and suppliers. It clearly outlines for staff, where a company stands on environmental matters for all stakeholders.

Before writing an environmental policy statement, it helps to know exactly how one is defined: A written set of principles that outlines a company’s mission to manage the environmental effects of its people, activities, and operations and helps to put its environmental commitments into practice. Basically, it is a company’s official declaration of its commitment to the environment and to continual improvement of environmental practices.

An environmental policy statement is meant to be long-lasting. While a company’s specific procedures or practices and associated goals may change each year, the policy statement should remain largely unchanged because it is the company’s guiding principle with respect to the environment.

As with any official statement, the goal of this document is to implement a new policy, which means its success will be determined by the ability of the authors to accurately and clearly convey its meaning and intentions effectively. This statement should help define the expectations and performance of all of the people associated with a company, and is usually the first step before developing specific procedures or practices that will realize the expectations of the policy. The more explicit the policy statement, the more likely that it will succeed.It should clearly state the aims and principles of an organization with respect to its impact on the environment.

Benefits: Why Write an Environmental Policy Statement?

In addition to the obvious environmental benefits, a good policy statement can have many rewards for a business. Environmental management can be a valuable investment in efficiency and could pay significant dividends by reducing overhead and boosting your bottom line. It can also act as an image enhancer, by assuring customers of a commitment to environmental issues. Or it can help also make a business more appealing to talented staff, who increasingly are looking to work for companies with beliefs that match their own.

The benefits associated with writing an environmental policy statement:

• assuring customers of commitment to demonstrable environmental management
• maintaining good public/community relations
• enhancing image and market share
• improving cost control
• reducing incidents that result in liability
• conserving raw materials and energy
• sharing environmental solutions
• improving industry/government relations.

Format and Style: What Should It Look Like?

While there is no standard format for writing an environmental policy statement, there are some general guidelines, which are outlined below. The bottom line, however, is that whatever is written should reflect an organization’s culture and be geared to their specific issues.

There are a few basic rules to follow:

• Keep the statement short, no longer than one page.
• Make it clear and easy to read and understand, since it is meant for everyone to see.
• It should be realistic, achievable and relevant to a company’s activities and practices.
• It should have top-level support (i.e., endorsement from managing director, president, chief executive or other).

There likely will be more detailed information and plans backing up what is stated in this policy elsewhere, but the statement itself should be kept short. It is meant for readers to understand where the company is in relation to the environment and where it hopes to be in the future. The details of specific goals, numbers, actions, should be included in the more detailed “action” plan.

Content: What Should It Include?

As a general rule, the policy should outline the specific commitments your company is prepared to make to reduce its effects on the environment. The written commitment should include efforts to reduce, prevent or eliminate the environmental hazards and impacts of a company’s people, activities, operations, and products. Objectives and targets may include reducing waste and the consumption of resources or redesigning products to minimize their environmental impact at all life-cycle stages, from design, to manufacturing, to customer use, and disposal.

It is also important that the opening statement show that company leadership is committed to a program of continual improvement. Finally, the statement should include a commitment to communicate its environmental goals to employees, customers and other stakeholders.

The list below will help individuals draft a policy appropriate to their business. Individuals, perhaps on a company green team, should choose examples of statements that would apply to their business and make then statements as specific as possible for their operations:

• Comply with existing environmental regulations
• Comply with applicable codes of practice.
• Assess the environmental effects of all operations.
• Continuously seek to improve environmental performance.
• Reduce pollution, emissions and waste.
• Reduce the use of all raw materials, energy, and supplies.
• Raise awareness, encourage participation, and train employees.
• Expect similar environmental standards from all suppliers and contractors.
• Assist customers in making environmentally sensitive choices.
• Work with the local community.
• Participate in discussions about environmental issues.
• Monitor progress and review performance (usually annually).

Specific issues relevant to your company that a company may wish to address based on where their operations are having the biggest environmental impact could include:

• Reduce impacts of transportation.
• Better recycling of materials and packaging.
• Minimizing waste generation.
• Maximizing recycling and reuse opportunities.
• Efficient use of water and energy.
• Use of biodegradable or alternatives to chemicals.
• Minimizing use of solvents.
• Use of timber products from sustainable (managed) forests.

Communication

To ensure successful implementation of an environmental policy, the statement needs to be applied company-wide. Getting input from a range of people in the organization will help to ensure commitment and ownership. It also helps to convey the message that environmental improvement is central to the company’s goals.

Most importantly once a policy has been finalized, it should be framed, hung on a wall, and revisited regularly. It should be used to continually involve staff in efforts to go green. The individuals that make up any business can each take simple actions both at work and at home that will greatly reduce the company’s overall impact, and they should be encouraged by the policy to create positive change.

Staff and company leaders should work together to define the company’s environmental policy statement and ensure that:

• It is communicated to all employees.
• Everyone in the organization understands the statement.
• Everyone knows what is expected of them.
• The environmental policy statement is made available to the public.

Getting Started

To develop an environmental policy that is engaging and which incorporates current good practice as well as realistic businesses goals, staff and leaders need to be educated on environmental issues, either through meeting with consultants, participating in workshops or researching policies of other companies in their sector. If a green team has been established, members should start with a brainstorming session to find out what areas the company is doing well in and where changes need to be made.

A good first step is to gather any existing environmental policies a company may need to follow. For instance, a company may already be required to comply with major environmental regulations or certain certifications. Or a company may have an “unofficial” environmental policy statement that is not yet written down anywhere. As a second step, a company should take a look at where its operations are having the biggest effect on the environment, so that the resulting policy is geared specifically to its people, activities, products, and services.

With this information, the green team can then address its specific issues in general terms in the policy statement. For example, if chemicals that are used in cleaning are a concern because of potential toxicity, then your company could make a commitment to review, and make changes to the types of cleaning products used.

Some questions to ask when drafting a company’s statement.

• Why are we implementing this policy? What do we hope to achieve?
• What change does your company hope to effect with this policy?
• Who does this policy affect?
• What is expected of employees, suppliers, contractors, and customers?
• Is this policy supported by senior management?
• Did employees from a cross-section of departments participate in defining the policy?
• Are employees aware of the policy?

There are many good environmental policy statements available online and elsewhere, but here is one generic example found online:

Sample Generic Policy Statement

Protecting our shared environment is of fundamental importance to Company X, as it is to our employees, customers, and other stakeholders. To support this common goal, we will:

• Comply with applicable local, state, and federal environmental regulations.
• Continually improve the environmental performance of our products and processes.
• Protect the health and safety of our employees and surrounding communities and ecosystems.
• Use natural resources, including raw materials, energy, and water, as efficiently as possible.

We will work to achieve these commitments by:

• Requiring environmental awareness training of all our employees and more specific environmental training where appropriate.
• Evaluating products and processes from the point of view of chemical risk, dedicating ourselves to finding better alternatives based on preventing pollution in the first place.
• Considering the risks of our raw materials and products at all stages of our product’s life, placing priority on risks present during our production process and during our customers’ use of our products.
• Working collaboratively with our customers, suppliers, and the surrounding community on environmental issues.

We will make every effort to ensure that environmental performance is an integral part of

Company X’s performance and of the performance of all of our employees. To this end, we will measure and periodically report on our progress in realizing these commitments.

Elizabeth Striano
Consultant and writer on sustainability and the environment
www.agreenfootprint.com

Helping you leave a green footprint on the world…

Start With a Simpler Life

Though written a bit tongue-in-cheek, I found this article that ran in the Washington Post last week, made a compelling argument that becoming green begins with reduced consumption. One of the points made in the article regarded our propensity to continually replace that which is no longer the newest or the best: “The culture of obsolescence has become so deeply ingrained that it’s practically reflexive.”

I was reminded of another Post column I had read recently — unrelated to the environmental movement. In the article, Jeanne Marie Laskas, was wearing boots with a broken shoelace when a student in her class said, “Looks like it’s time for some new boots.”

“I looked down. There was nothing wrong with the boot itself. ‘It’s a shoelace,’ I said, and made a remark about buying a pair of new laces,” Laskas wrote.
Quickly we come to the argument about whether or not a 10,000 square foot home that is LEED certified is actually “green.” Apparently some people in Washington state have a strong opinion about this. While I would never condone such an extreme act, I do question the validity of the claim.

I suppose that what I’m trying to say, is that while I’m encouraged by the changes I am seeing in the movement to being more environmentally aware as a society, until we’re able to connect that awareness to our actual consumption, we still have a ways to go.

As environmentalist Paul Hawken said in the Post article: “Really going green … ‘means having less. It does mean less. Everyone is saying, ‘You don’t have to change your lifestyle.’ Well, yes, actually, you do.“

Elizabeth Striano
Consultant and writer on sustainability and the environment
www.agreenfootprint.com

Helping you leave a green footprint on the world…