As outdoorsmen, we are often the first to fight back against technological advances. Most of us, including me, consider technology something that brings people further away from nature. Despite this viewpoint, all technology is not bad. A lot of innovation has increased outdoor opportunities with the ability to spread knowledge of tactics/tips, marketplaces, and satellite mapping.
A technological innovation that is currently disrupting the world is ChatGPT. This technology is a website that anyone can access and use. Think of ChatGPT as a better version of Google and a digital assistant. ChatGPT allows you to ask any question you can think of, and it will give you a thorough response.
Most of you are asking, “What could ChatGPT do for me? And how can it help the outdoors industry?” Most of us know the conservation issues that hinder hunting, trapping, and fishing. New laws are being discussed, regulations are changing, and forums are being held. For these issues, the typical actions to follow are to contact our politicians, local fish, wildlife, etc. It is never a good excuse, but most of us are busy people. And while we have good intentions, the first thing to usually fall off our list is to reach out to those in positions that influence our lifestyles. This is where ChatGPT can be used! You can ask for it to come up with an argument for/against something you want to debate, list points to bring to a forum/board meeting, or even have more firepower when talking to anti-fishing/hunting people.
Example Prompt:
“Create a bulleted list to describe why public land is important.”
ChatGPT Result:
- Conservation: Public land plays a crucial role in conserving and protecting natural resources, including wildlife, plant species, and critical habitats.
- Biodiversity: Public land supports diverse ecosystems, contributing to the preservation of biodiversity and ensuring the survival of various species.
- Recreation: Public land provides opportunities for outdoor recreation and leisure activities such as hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, and nature photography.
- Accessible Nature: Public land ensures that people from all walks of life can access and enjoy the benefits of nature, promoting physical and mental well-being.
- Education and Research: Public land serves as a living laboratory for scientific research, environmental education, and learning about ecosystems and conservation.
- Cultural and Historical Heritage: Public land often encompasses culturally and historically significant sites, preserving our heritage and allowing for cultural exploration.
- Water Resources: Public land can protect watersheds, rivers, and lakes, ensuring clean water supplies for communities and supporting aquatic ecosystems.
- Climate Change Mitigation: Public land can be utilized for carbon sequestration, helping to mitigate climate change and maintain ecological balance.
- Economic Benefits: Public land contributes to local economies through tourism, outdoor recreation-related businesses, and job creation in sectors like conservation and land management.
- Community Engagement: Public land fosters community engagement, volunteerism, and collaboration in conservation efforts, strengthening social ties and a sense of shared responsibility.
Whew, talk about the assistant we wish we were around in school. ChatGPT does not discriminate and won’t even tell if you ask a dumb question (unlike an internet forum). It’s easy to be negative about new technology, but when tools like ChatGPT come around, it is best to learn how to utilize them to help conserve our lifestyles.
Example Prompt:
“I would like to call my legislators about a current issue being debated. Please be as descriptive and detailed as possible, and reference the bill that is being debated right now (Bill ____). Can you write me a script for a phone call to a legislator? I am in favor of _______ and would like _______ to be done about it. Provide examples and solutions and touch on the importance of _____ to me and many others in my area.”
Prompts that may be useful:
“Create an argument for why hunting is needed in today’s society.”
“What will influence the future of hunting?”
“How to increase the amount of public land?”
“Is fly fishing better than spin fishing?”
“How to catch the biggest trout in _(insert lake or river or area here)___?”
References:
https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt
