I am particularly fond of the way in which Yale Environment 360 approaches climate blogging. This blog, from Yale’s School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, aims to offer “analysis, reporting, and debate on global environmental issues.” Yale Environment 360 frames climate change in an exciting way. An interview with Kate Marvel, a physicist at Columbia University cogently explains the mystery of the relationship between clouds and climate change.
This narrative engages readers through a versatile format, in this case through an interview with a climate expert. The Q&A structure enables creative and accessible techniques for explaining climate science. The conversational responses present a unique approach to science writing and communication. Dr. Marvel starts with a clear explanation of the relationship between clouds and warming as well as their impact on climate modeling. Rather than employing technical jargon, Dr. Marvel uses terms like “juicy” to describe clouds made of water droplets. In explaining the simple process of cloud formation, she relates water droplets to grains of sand on a beach. The frequent use of metaphor and conversational language allows readers to understand more clearly. The regular use of pull quotes highlights main ideas and enables quick reading. Communicating climate science through interviews is a unique way to present complex information.
http://e360.yale.edu/features/investigating-the-enigma-of-clouds-and-climate-change
