A friend of mine recently put together a survey for a ethnography research methods class on the topic of creating effective hemp education and promoting hemp awareness. Below are a few of my responses. To participate yourself, leave a comment and I'll pass your info along.
What is your educational platform (or pro-hemp argument) that you use when doing hemp outreach? My main “argument” is that if we are truly serious about maximizing the growth of the green economy and creating a sustainable future, industrial hemp must become, once again, one of the United States’ primary crops. I stress how cultivating hemp will do more to help clean our air, soil, and water than any patented technology our scientists can offer. I include hemp nutritional benefits and communicate how making more hemp foods available to our citizens, we can improve the quality of life of many and reduce our long term health care costs.
Do you change this platform for various audiences: when and why?
Yes and no.
I think it is important to make things as simple as possible for people to grasp hemp’s true potential, and I always strive to bring it down to a healthy environment, healthy food, and healthy industries to lay a solid foundation to build a dialogue upon.
With younger people, I’ll maybe emphasize the sustainability and social justice (Alex White Plume and his efforts to grow hemp on sovreigh land) angles. Talk of mass movements in US History and how bringing hemp back requires the same public involvement.
With older people, I’ll maybe include more details about hemp’s place in World and US History, and emphasize the importance that future generations are left with the cleanest possible air, soil, water, and food that we can pass on to them.
It just depends on the situation and the group dynamics. Hemp is such a multi-disciplinary plant, if you know what I mean, and this definitely leads to a wide variety of topics to touch upon as they relate to hemp.
What are the various tools (i.e. brochures, movies etc.) that you use when you provide hemp education?
I’ve used a wide variety of tools which I share with people in my educational efforts, including books, movies, videos, and brochures; links to articles, videos, and web sites; letters to representatives and editors of various newspapers; and the song I wrote, Hemp Anthem which I’ve played at open mics and done as spoken word at poetry slams.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
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