The “issue-attention cycle”

We live in a time in which threats to our environment are common knowledge and
the problems we face are not going away. Americans are constantly recognizing
the threats our environment faces however majority of these issues go unresolved.
The public perception to the threats on the environment can be followed through a
systematic theory known as the “issue-attention cycle”. Anthony Downs
concluded from this cycle that many domestic problems and environmental threats
are directly affected by these predictable stages. This cycle can be described as a
process that brings upon the problematic foundation that captures the public’s eye.
This is when certain domestic problems start to become an issue in which the public
may have or may have not begun to recognize. There are 5 stages in which the
dynamics of domestic issues comes to society’s attention.

First stage is called the pre-problem stage. This is when a problem does exist
and has been an issue for a good amount of time. It has been recognized by the
experts but not viewed as a problem by society. By far, the problem has been in
existence for quite some time and is in the problematic stage in which the general
public is usually caught off guard when the reality of it sinks in. When the public
becomes aware of the evils of a particular problem they begin to put large demands
on our political leaders. Often political leaders put off solving issues until a crisis
comes about or they often come up quick fix solutions that usually fall apart within
a short period of time.

The alarmed discovery usually puts the public in an uproar in which people feel
that a solution is expected. Society has become aware of the obstacle and believes
that it can be eliminated. They feel that every problem can be “solved”. Quick and
easy solutions to our social problems are not easy to come by since majority of our
threats require large amounts of money to fix. Realizing the cost of significant
process is the third stage in which the spread of realization is tied in with the cost
of the actual problem. At this stage of any given issue, the public is aware and
acknowledges the fact that the problem requires a great deal of money. It also
raises the concern to Americans whether or not to make major sacrifices in order to
produce results.

The public interest in saving the quality of the environment suddenly has a gradual
decline of intense public interest during the fourth stage. What normally
happens to people during this stage is either they give up, lose interest, or simply
become bored with the issue. People begin to realize the high costs and the level of
difficulty associated with the solution that people tend to lose focus. Majority of our
society will begin to suppress many of the issues and simply let them go
unresolved. By this time, there is usually another alarming discovery that comes
about. This is one of the main reasons why most people become discouraged. The
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post-problem stage moves an issue into a prolonged limbo because of another
issue that captures the public’s interest. The decline of interest does not make a
social problem disappear nor does it fix itself. These problems will rekindle the
public’s interest because they eventually become attached to another sociological
problem. By this time the new problem has entered back into the “pre-problem
stage” in which there should be more solutions because the problems have already
gone though the cycle. Now the public is more aware of possible solutions in which
we can utilize the new institutions, programs and policies that have already been
created.

“Air Pollution from our Automobiles”

We decided over 60 years ago that it would be common for Americans to drive to
work. This resulted in the creation of suburbs which placed homes far away from
their work places. This resulted to an abundance number of cars on the roads
today. Although public transportation is an option, the development was never
advanced enough to handle the amount of people in the United States. Our nation
is depended on the automobile. The automobile releases toxic fumes that can
damage the air we breathe. Vehicles generate carbon monoxide and nitrogen
oxides emissions and a source of damaging tiny particles. Clearly, the idea of
commuting has resulted in health and economic consequences that has caused
environmental degradations. If we proceed to live in an unhealthy environment, the
results will lead to unhealthy humans.

Within the past 40 years, people have ignored the effects of greenhouse gases.
Although some people knew the world was in trouble, most people did not know and
some people just denied it for their own selfish reasons. The media today has
implemented the “green” slogan which promotes several different ways that we can
save our planet. Unfortunately, we cannot predict what the world has in store for us
but we can take the measures of minimizing air pollution and provide our
atmosphere with a better quality of air. We have learned that our ecosystems can
become unstable and cause unpredictable weather patterns. As a nation we should
be able to take notice of such adverse changes and minimize our actions in
reducing air pollution.

We watched corporations, such as General Motors and Chrysler, promote larger

vehicles. These larger trucks painted a picture for America that bigger is better.
This marketing ploy had increased air pollution in our major cities because these
bigger vehicles require more fuel. The creative marketing ads that want you to
purchase the bigger vehicles for their luxury features might be a plus for the
consumer however some of their features are useless for the city driver. This type
of advertising is delusional and only benefits the corporation profits not the
environment.

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We can make changes to reduce air pollution work. As we enter into 2011, we are
beginning to see more hybrid cars. These are automobiles that run on 100%
electric. There eventually has to be some way to control the traffic congestion, this
is the most popular way our air gets polluted. Urban areas will have to resort to
limiting the number of vehicles on the road. As we reduce the amount of cars on
the road, there will need to be improved public transportation. We expect to see no
more single passenger commuting, possible bus lanes and HOV lane increased to 3
or more passengers. People will see a need to migrate closer to the city. This will
reduce the amount of commuters. We will expect to see traffic schedules in which
commercial vehicles might have to travel at night and large companies have to
stagger work hours to reduce the flow of traffic.

Air pollution from vehicles has reached a dangerous level in which we need to pay
attention more closely. As our population increases, so does the demand for a more
“greener” and “safer planet”. We need to make our money useful and use it
towards a sober revision of vehicle use. Our planet is already acting up and
eventually it won’t be able to handle the dangerous ways our modern world lives
today.

“Water Pollution and Society”

The earth is made up of 70% water. Water is considered the most precious
natural resource that makes up most of our planet. Water pollution is the
contamination of our lakes, rivers and oceans. It affects the plants and
organisms that live in these bodies of water. Our drinking water is greatly
affected by such acts. There are two types of water pollutants; point source
and nonpoint source. Point-source pollution is pollution that can be traced
back from a single polluted source such as a sewage treatment plant
discharge. Non-point source affects a body of water from diffuse sources.
An example of a diffuse source is fertilizer. Fertilizer from a field can be
washed into our waters by the rain which effects water life in a negative way.
Unfortunately, point sources of pollution should be monitored however
political factors seem to complicate matters. Non-point sources are harder
to control and they are the major reason why our streams and lakes are
contaminated.

Our polluted waters contain nutrients that stunt the growth for aquatic plants
and algae. With the large amounts of polluted water brings an excess
growth of these organisms that clog our waterways. Our fish suffer from the
excessive growth and it affects the respiration ability. Grass clippings and
livestock feedlots are organic materials that cause polluted waters. Our fish
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simply can’t survive in these polluted waters because the levels of dissolved
oxygen will drop. Large amounts of fish are killed each year though
pollution which leads to a reduced amount of food supply. Pathogens are
very harmful when entered into our water system. Pathogen is a germ that
can causes illness such as typhoid and dysentery and can lead to minor
respiratory and skin diseases.

Over 1 billion people come across unsafe drinking water that has lead to
over 5 million deaths per year. With such a large area of the planet covered
by water, people mindlessly dump raw sewage, garbage, and oil. Shorelines
and beaches are shut down and marine wildlife is beginning to suffer due to
the high amounts of bacteria that have entered our waters. The Clean Water
act of 1970 was passed to established goals for eliminating the high amounts
of toxic substances. UNEP was designed to guide the United Nations to allay
fears of the developing world. Together they can study ways to improve
standards of living without destroying the environment.

Our government must consider our global environment and waterways as a

world environmental problem. Our politicians must keep in mind our human
needs while preserving the environment and focus less on the increase in
the level of economic activity. As a nation we must expand on our
conservation strategies and educate others that energy use can be reduced
by sacrificing our comfort. If these measures are not met and water
pollution continues, our life on earth will suffer dramatically.

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Threat on our Environment /
Pollution
Social Problems – Spring 2010

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Eric Tyburski
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References

Downs, Anthony, Up and Down with Ecology-the Issue-Attention Cycle, Public

Interest, 28 (1972: Summer) p.38

Car Exhaust, Air Pollution & the Environment: Health Effects

http://www.nutramed.com/environment/cars.htm

Water Pollution and Society by David Krantz and Brad Kifferstein

http://www.umich.edu~gs265/society/waterpollution.htm

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