Making Change Happen… Taking Action on Climate Change

1. Making Change Happen…Taking Action on Climate Change Betty Carteret Skagit County Climate Stewards Class of 2008

2. The Climate Change 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

3. What can Climate Stewards do? • Learn more - you now know more than the average citizen about global warming – so, put your newly 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

4. Tools for making change happen • Social 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

5. Social Marketing UN Voices Campaign

6. Social Marketing Climate Change Alliance for Climate Protection Black Balloons

7. Know 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

8. Everett Rogers studied the dissemination of information throughout cultures for 50 years…. What he learned can help us promote action on climate change …..

9. It’s OK to sing 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

10. 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 publications at: www.thesocialcapitalproject.org

11. Download at: www.thesocialcapitalproject.org

12. Which future do you choose? People choose everyday through their behaviors.

13. Planning Tips for Effective Climate Stewards Projects

14. It’s all in the planning…. • The outcome of your project will only be as effective as the planning you put in up front • Write a clear scope statement including goals and outcomes you want to achieve • Determine a plan of action including resources (human, financial, materials), risks, and schedule • Develop your social marketing strategy • Analyze your target audience; tailor message • Recruit volunteers and put plan into action • Evaluate the results and share lessons learned

15. 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”

16. Any Questions? Up next: Skagit County Project Examples