The EnvComm Blog

Are you thinking of attending the 2013 Conference on Communication and Environment (COCE) in Uppsala this June?

If so, you have only 10 days left to take advantage of the early-bird discount. After February 15, prices go up.

You don't need to be an IECA member to attend, but if you want the member discount, then you need to make sure your membership is paid up for 2013.

Conference details are here: http://theieca.org/coce2013

Hope to see you in Sweden!

Climate Change Politics: Communication and Public Engagement
Edited by Anabela Carvalho and Tarla Rai Peterson

I am writing to share two very positive developments for our association:

1.  We just received a letter from U. S. Internal Revenue Service granting the IECA tax-exempt status as a 501-c-3 public charity organization.  This status is effective retroactive to 9/30/11.  This means that memberships and other donations to the IECA are now tax deductible for any U. S. taxpayer.   We will post more specific information, including a copy of the notification letter, in the members-only area of our web site in the next few days for you to consult for tax purposes.  We ask you to remember IECA in your year-end giving plans.

The IECA web site has moved to a new domain: theIECA.org

We did this for several reasons:

1. To shorten the URL, making it easier to type.

2. To have a domain that highlights and builds the identity of the organization. Our old domain, environmentalcomm.org, was fine, but didn't distinguish the IECA.

3. To do what most organizations do, which is to have their acronym in their URL.

4. To harmonize our domain with our Facebook and Twitter identities, both of which are theIECA.

OK, so what's next?

Friends: I've made a decision, and I want to share it with you.

I have decided to make a year-end donation to IECA, and to add IECA to my list of organizations to which I make charitable contributions each year.

I've been thinking a lot about what is important to me--personally, professionally, politically.  Where I spend my philanthropy dollars.

And, I've come to the conclusion that supporting the IECA as it strives to fulfill its mission--promoting effective envionmental communication around the world through research and practice--is something I want to do.

IECA founding member Dr. Alison Anderson of Plymouth University, UK, has been named the new Editor-in-Chief of Environmental Communication: A Journal of Nature and Culture. She will take over from founding Editor-in-Chief Steve Depoe on January 1, 2014. Between now and then she will work alongside Dr. Depoe to ensure a smooth transition.

ECA Colleagues:  Wanted to share some good news items with you--

*I just received my hard copy of the September 2012 issue of ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION:  A JOURNAL OF NATURE AND CULTURE (on-line version has been out for a while).  This issue, devoted to the topic of environmental justice in international contexts, was an outgrowth of the 2011 Conference on Communication and Environment hosted by Stacey Sowards and colleagues at the Univ. or Texas at El Paso.  The cover image was taken by U. Maine Ph.D. student Bridie McGreavy, who attended the conference and took the photo while on a tour of the former smelting factory of ASARCO.  Great conference, great special issue, reflecting the best of our field.

The next phase in the evolution of IECA starts now! Self-nominations for Vice Chair (who will become the Chair at COCE 2015 and serve through COCE 2017) and board members to serve from COCE 2013 to COCE 2017 will be accepted through September 30. Only IECA members can self-nominate and vote; and the entire election process will be managed at http://environmentalcomm.org/elections. Voting will occur October 22 through November 7, with results announced as soon as practical.