BIO7: Environmental Storytelling with ArcGIS Storymaps

Using creative media (like images, audio, or videos) made by other people is different from using other people's research. Here are some things to consider when choosing what you include in your video:

1. Go ahead and use images, audio, and video that have a Creative Commons (CC) license. Creative Commons licenses are a way for authors to allow people to re-use their works without the restrictions of traditional Copyright.

2. Go ahead and use images, music, and video that are in the public domain. Public domain means that these documents are no longer restricted by copyright. Most works produced by the US government are also in the public domain.

3. If something does not have a CC license/is not in the public domain, it should be assumed to be protected under Copyright and you must either:

• Ask permission before using it, OR 
• Determine whether your use is considered a "fair use" 

The Climate Outreach IPCC-communications handbook outlines six principles for effective communication and public engagement on climate change.  The sixth principle, Use the most effective visual communication, expands on with the following:

1. Show ‘real people’ not staged photo-ops: A person expressing an identifiable emotion is powerful, but use ‘authentic’ images, not staged photographs, which can be seen as gimmicky or manipulative.
2. Tell new stories: Familiar, ‘classic’ images - polar bears, smoke stacks, deforestation - can prompt cynicism and fatigue. Less familiar (and more thought-provoking) images can help tell a new story about climate change.
3. Climate impacts are emotionally powerful: Images of climate change impacts can be overwhelming. Coupling images of climate impacts with a concrete behavioural ‘action’ for people to take can help overcome this.
4. Show local climate impacts: When images of localised climate impacts show an individual person or group of people, with identifiable emotions, they are likely to be most powerful.
5. Understand your audience: Images depicting ‘solutions’ to climate change generated mostly positive emotions – for those on the political right, as well as those on the left.

While you might not be able to follow all of these recommendations, finding media that is as specific as you are able to collect or create is the goal.