Study: Public Remains Cluelessly Optimistic about Environmental Problems

"It says much about human adaption to find that perceptions of environmental problems change over time," Qin added. "As we see increased environmental effects due to climate change in the future, it is important for those working in government agencies, such as the US Forest Service, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to understand this temporal effect on human attitudes about environmental problems as it could provide valuable information about how to handle the social aspects of future environmental issues."

It should be pointed out that the study focuses specifically on the issue of invasive species management, and Qin does note that the public may treat other environmental issues very differently. Endangered species management, for instance, often has trouble reallocating funds away from species that no longer need as many protections, as it's hard to relay the message, "No, really, the humpback whale is going to be fine. Please give your money to pangolin conservation now."

Still, with climate change pressing in (although potentially not as quickly as we thought), and habitats changing to accommodate more invasions, problems like the spruce bark beetle may only grow more common. It's good then, that experts like Qin are passionate about saving nature and working to figure out how to stay involved.

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