I believe not only that, like any other citizens, environmental scientists can be advocates, but that they ethically must be advocates, at least to the extent of informing the general public about their work and conclusions. The credibility of ecologists has been enhanced as many of them have tried to diagnose environmental ills and suggest cures. After all, biomedical scientists can gain prestige by diagnosing public health problems and recommending solutions-and, interestingly, they aren"t accused of advocacy. But scientists should be careful to inform their audiences when they are representing a consensus of the knowledgeable scientific community and when they are expressing their own opinions about actions that should be taken. From Paul Ehrlich, "Human Natures, Nature Conservation, and Environmental Ethics. ©2016 by American Institute of Biological Sciences.