Comments davidwill has made
Getting the language right
We've spent the last four years working on how to communicate sustainable development issues, especially climate change more effectively. Please, please, please read our 'Rules of the Game' publication (http://www.futerra.co.uk/downloads/RulesOfTheGame.pdf)
It's a distillation of a good few feet of research papers on how to communicate climate change and environmental issues. It was the foundation of the UK government's climate change communications strategy. On Umbra on writing to reps about climate change posted 3 years, 3 months ago 7 Responses
Essential optimism
We need optimism, positivity and excitement.
The doom an gloom messages that people say we need are so counterproductive, they simply turn people away. Its not suprising people don't behave more sustainably when it's something they 'should' do. They should also pay the bills, get more exercise, eat healthier, spend more time with their family etc. We have so many short term pressures that we struggle to meet. We can't expect people to change the way they behave to be more sustainable, if we don't make it something they want to do. We must make it exciting, personally relevant, link individual action to collective action and big, positive impacts, and then celebrate the positive changes people make.
Excuse the rant, but this is something we at Futerra have researched to death when we wrote the recommendations for the UK government's Climate Change Communications Strategy. It's also something that we all know deep down if we look hard enough; the things that I enjoy doing I try to make time for them, the things that make me feel powerless and gloomy I try and avoid, both consciously and subconsciously.
On Drop that apocalyptic vision and start imagining a positive future posted 3 years, 4 months ago 56 Responses