making change happen… taking action on climate change
DESCRIPTION
Making Change Happen… Taking Action on Climate Change. Betty Carteret Skagit County Climate Stewards Class of 2008. The Climate Change Challenge. Unlike anything we’ve faced before and we’re ill-equipped to respond - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Betty CarteretSkagit County Climate Stewards
Class of 2008
Making Change Happen…Making Change Happen…Taking Action on Climate ChangeTaking Action on Climate Change
The Climate The Climate Change ChallengeChange Challenge
• Unlike anything we’ve faced before and we’re ill-equipped to respond– Our “collective memory” responds to threats
that are immediate, visible, physical– Fails to trip the brain’s alarm like a cave
man with the club or terrorist with a bomb– It’s hard to put a clear face on the “enemy”– It’s global, complex, and has future
consequences that are hard to internalize– Geologic timeframe vs. lifespan timeframe;
it’s not close enough at hand to seem urgent
What can Climate Stewards do?What can Climate Stewards do? Learn more - you now know more than the average
citizen about global warming – so, put your newly so, put your newly acquired expertise to work acquired expertise to work
Take action – set an example at home, in your community, and urge your communities and elected representatives to take action on climate change
Get involved – you’ve taken the first step in becoming a Climate Steward volunteer; now join with your fellow volunteers and other like-minded individuals/groups to make meaningful change happen in your community
Tools for making change happenSocial Marketing: “the systematic application
of marketing concepts and techniques to achieve specific behavioral goals, to achieve a social or public good”
Audience/Stakeholder Analysis: take the time to know your audience; tailor an effective user-centered message that targets their values
Project Planning: remember that failure to plan is planning to fail - make a plan
Social Marketing
UN Voices Campaign
Know your audienceKnow your audience• New information on climate
change communications can help you understand your audience better
• Yale and George Mason Universities report
Download at George Mason’s Center for Climate Change Communications
Everett Rogers studied the dissemination of information throughout cultures for 50 years….What he learned can help us promote action on climate change …..
It’s It’s OKOK to sing to sing to the Choir!to the Choir!
• 16% Innovators and Early Adopters – high tolerance for change; “the choir” will readily get behind your idea and help you draw in others – engage them to help first
• 34% Early Majority – will get onboard in the early stages and get the movement started – often follow the lead of “the choir”
• 34% Late Majority – will get onboard when they see the groundswell of action by the first 50% – want to keep up with the Joneses
• 16% Laggards – their minds made up and they’re unlikely to make changes no matter how much time you spend trying to convince them – don’t waste your time - focus on the 84% majority
Download publications at: www.thesocialcapitalproject.org
The Social Capital Project is a non-profit on Vancouver Island that focuses on social science based communication strategies and social marketing campaigns to mobilize public support for climate solutions.
Download at: www.thesocialcapitalproject.org
Which future do you choose? People choose everyday through their behaviors.
Planning Tips for Effective Climate Stewards Projects
It’s all in the planning….The outcome of your project will only be as
effective as the planning you put in up fronto Write a clear scope statement including goals and
outcomes you want to achieveo Determine a plan of action including resources
(human, financial, materials), risks, and scheduleo Develop your social marketing strategyo Analyze your target audience; tailor messageo Recruit volunteers and put plan into actiono Evaluate the results and share lessons learned
Recruiting Volunteers Tips from the Girl Scouts
• Don’t go it alone – pull in the choir• Don’t confuse recruitment with publicity – putting
out mass emails or a poster is not a real invitation• Be clear about what you want people to do – give
your best description of what, why, where and how• Be honest about the commitment your asking for• Describe the support and resources available• Identify positives the volunteer will get in exchange• Explain why you are recruiting them specifically• Never recruit anyone by asking them for a favor• The best way to recruit is just to ask – most people
will be quick to say “Yes”
