Perhaps we need to listen better. We need to be very careful when answering this question, for several reasons. First, how we answer it sets the tone for all our educational activities. Second, defining biotechnology also defines the community resources available for learning about biotechnology. That brings biotechnology home, and we expand the list of communities with local resources for learning about it.
Most people know what a radar detector is.
A little box that could fit on the dashboard, it would go off when the car goes by a place where biotechnology is used. Like a radar detector, the biotechdetector could be adjusted for sensitivity. Third, the language we use is critical. Avoid biobabble when providing information. Use analogies when giving analyses.