The phone rings; it's the Trump Transition Team (TTT, ardently armoured of alliteration) calling. It's an invitation to Trump Towers to make a presentation to the President Elect and the team. They say that their current plan is that, on Day 3 of the new administration, they will use Executive Order T 364 to abolish the EPA *, and they want your views.
At least that's what you think they say, except that it's much worse than this as you find out when you've recovered from a fit of the vapours, and ask them to start again. It turns out they are planning to keep the EPA (under an Alt-Right Director**), but aim to prevent it from funding, or in any way supporting, environmental education because it's been a huge waste of money and effort. The TTT has been instructed to find an expert who could make the counter case to the team. They say that is mostly so they can say they've considered the issues, but add that they are also open to a change of mind. You will have 5 minutes.
Two questions spring to your mind: [i] Should I go? and [ii] If I do, what should I say?
The first one is easily dealt with. Although you'll be faced with utter disdain from your more bien-pensant colleagues, your fear your grandchildren more: "What do you mean, Gramps; you had the chance to save the world and you didn't go? Geez. What a *******." Anyway, you've always secretly wanted to see inside Trump Towers. The second question is trickier, especially as you'll have at most 400 well-chosen words to do this in, and you won't be able to use your favourite jargon.
But any environmental education researcher worth their salt could do this. So, what will you say?
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Notes
[*] For any Brits not called Nigel reading this, the EPA is the Environmental Protection Agency.
[**] The main policy priority of the new Agency will be to eliminate homosexual animals from the National Parks. It's not clear at present whether this will include human ones.
Respond