Misinformation is such a social pariah. Yet, it’s a reality we must face in this age of social media. The only way to combat it is by arming ourselves; we must know what information to accept. If you’re passionate about solving climate change and protecting the environment, you can’t let misinformation stop you. It’s easy for people to present falsehoods as facts to convince you that environmental issues don’t matter. Here’s what you should do to stop consuming misinformation.
Verify the source
Check the source of information. You should skip it if it comes from shady websites or social media accounts with suspicious content. You won’t get anything realistic from the site. Some may even intentionally mislead people. So as soon as you see the information, skip it. Better yet, respond to the comment section and disprove it.
Triangulate your information
Another way to prevent misinformation is by triangulating your sources. First, check different websites to see if the same information is available. If not, there’s an excellent chance it’s wrong. Next, look for reliable sources that many people believe in. If these media outlets share the same information, it’s factual.
Differentiate news from opinion
You should also know which information to consider, news and opinion. Even reliable media sources may still provide incorrect information because it was from their opinion section. It’s highly subjective, and you don’t need to believe everything. Opinion pages and accounts may start a conversation, but everything is on the table.
Stick with research results
You may find information online that suggests recycling is bad. You might believe it and stop recycling. The truth is research proved the positive impact of recycling if done correctly. You can’t believe in trash sources if verified and peer-reviewed analyses are available. For instance, you can click here to find practices that help save tons of metals and other recyclable materials from going to waste. For example, producing new metals can be costly and damaging to the environment. Hence, recycling is better, and there’s no good argument against it.
Don’t always listen to your politicians.
Unfortunately, people in power don’t always deserve our trust. They have personal motives for spewing misinformation. These are partisan officials who will say anything to pursue their priorities. Some parties have clear climate change denial platforms. They will dissuade their constituents from doing anything to protect the environment. If your local official believes in the same falsehood, it’s a problem. If anything, you must find ways to take that person out of office. Support other leaders who pursue climate change actions. They deserve your vote, and their policies will save the environment.
Hopefully, you can’t let misinformation stop you from saving the environment. You must also do whatever it takes to convince more people to join your movement. We still have time to change reality. The environment might see devastating damage now, but we can still save it. With the proper steps and correct information, we can combat this problem.
