In the rich world the environmental situation has improved dramatically. In the United States the most important environmental indicator particulate air pollution has been cut by more than half since 1955 rivers and coastal waters have dramatically improved and forests are increasing.
Birds are indicators of the environment. If they are in trouble we know we'll soon be in trouble.
Religiosity turns out to be the best indicator of civic involvement: it's more accurate than education age income gender or race.
Academics don't normally manage to alter people's way of thinking through their strength of argument.