Strategic Communication Archives - Page 4 of 6

Communications medley: Survey roundup and framing tips

Posted by Bill Mott on April 25, 2014

In this week’s round up: How millennials are thinking about transportation, Americans view environment more important than growth, and the impacts of recent weather events on public perception of climate change. If you’re a science communicator or educator at an informal science center (such as a zoo, aquarium, or museum) trying to understand the perspectives of your audience and find ways to promote conservation action – this is the round up for you! Every week we break down the most interesting recent news and best resources to help you frame the issues as effectively as possible. Some of these resources will be practical communications and framing tips, and others are great starting points for brainstorming future strategies. Jump to… Survey roundup: Protecting our environment and climate change threats Communicating climate change: What to say and what not to! Today's surveys: Protecting our environment and climate change threats Many around the world see climate change as a major threat - This 39-nation survey conducted by Pew Research Center dives into the question of whether or not individuals view climate change as a threat to their country. Did they survey your country? If so, what are the results and what can you do to make a difference? Americans want government action to protect the environment - According to a recent survey by Yale, American's do want their government to protect the environment. But, depending on what they want you to protect the environment from, well, that depends. Check out the link for additional info. Communicating climate change: What to say and what not to! Climate change communication: Key psychological research findings - This two-part report takes an interesting exploration into some of the psychological barriers we face when trying to engage the public in climate change discussions. The results are fascinating. 13 useful tips for climate action from the IPCC Report - More than likely you're aware that the IPCC has released another climate change report. Just as likely, you probably haven't read the massive document. This summary shares 13 important, actionable tips that you can incorporate into your programs today. Can empathy help stop climate change? - Ever wonder why it doesn't work very effectively to tell people that climate change is a major threat to humans? Well, this article takes a look at some alternative ways to get the public to acknowledge climate change is indeed a threat not only to our lives, but to wildlife as well. Don't give up on engaging conservatives - Have you ever experienced the difficulties of communicating climate change to conservative? I know I have! This article takes an interesting look at different ways to engage conservatives in climate change discourse.

Aquariums, Polling and Public Opinion, Strategic Communication

Climate communication: know thy audience, know thyself

Posted by Bill Mott on December 4, 2013

Our friends over at EcoAmerica have published an insightful overview, “Communicating on Climate: 13 Steps and Guiding Principles,” that pairs nicely with the recent research by the Climate Literacy Zoo Education Network (CliZEN), as well as the ongoing research we’ve been doing here at The Ocean Project. "Communicating on Climate" offers a set of quick tips for audience engagement, offering a good review and food for thought for those of us who've been working on this issue for a while, or a good starting point for colleagues who may be not have been as focused on these concerns but are now getting involved. To what is covered in this report, we’d add that not only to do we need to know our audiences, but we need to know ourselves. In other words, we need to ask not only, "Where are our audiences on this issue?" but, "Where do our institutions have credibility?" and, "What works best in the context of a zoo or aquarium visit?" So as to be sure we are playing to our strengths and avoiding our weaknesses. On this last note, our research here at The Ocean Project suggests that aquariums and zoos, for example, are likely to do best when the discussing the problem in relation to its impact on the animals, and offering solutions that are centered in the sort of personal action steps that help people feel good about themselves, and their visit. For more on that, see our general advice on what the research says about "shaping a good ask" for visitors. Hoping this helps, and, as always, we welcome your feedback!

Blog Posts, Strategic Communication

Weekly Round Up: Bringing morals and human rights into the picture

Posted by Bill Mott on August 2, 2013

In the round up this week: Moral arguments sway public opinions, bringing human rights into the story to make a big impact, and polls reveal shifting political views of Americans. If you’re a science communicator or educator at an informal science center (such as a zoo, aquarium, or museum) trying to encourage conservation action – this is the round up for you! Every week we break down the most interesting recent news and best resources to help you frame the issues as effectively as possible. Use Moral Argument to Sway Public Opinion Human rights + ecological controversy = impactful story Climate change in politics: Let the polls speak for themselves More useful resources Climate action: it's not just rational, it's ethical As we’ve discussed in previous blog posts, there are many factors that influence one’s opinion about climate change. There is mounting evidence that making a moral argument in favor of acting to slow and mitigate climate change is one of the most effective strategies to make a lasting impact on public opinion. This summer’s Environmental Polling Trends report, released by ecoAmerica, supports that opinions are swaying, showing that most US citizens are concerned about climate change and they want to prepare for the impacts of climate change. Another major finding from this poll is that moral arguments seem to have the most support (93%) in swaying public opinion. Though, one blogger for The Guardian Professional points out the moral arguments are missing from the behavior change debates. The Guardian’s Adam Corner writes, “Ultimately, it is morals and values, not facts and figures, that inspire public support for policies, and transformative behavioral changes will not follow from superficial methods of engagement.” Corner suggests that we concentrate on “re-connecting with a straight¬for¬ward idea: that morally, confronting climate change is simply the right thing to do.” Human rights + ecological controversy = impactful story Here’s a framing tip: if it’s bad for the animals and it’s bad for humans, the story is sure to make an impact. The palm oil industry has been contributing to documented habitat devastation for animals such as the orangutans for years, but we are also learning about the not-so-well-documented human-rights abuses of the industry. The shared plight of orangutans and people make this story hard to ignore. Climate change in politics: Let the polls speak for themselves Public opinion about climate change in America has a history of changing like the weather, but it looks like the winds might be shifting in favor of action. In the United States, a nationwide poll shows that the majority supports President Obama’s new plan to address climate change and cut carbon emissions in the US. It looks like young voters are not only in support of Obama’s plan, but would oppose members of Congress who stood in the way of the president’s climate action plan. According to a poll of US voters under age 35, it is widely believed that “denying climate change signals a much broader failure of values and leadership,” noted in the polling memo. Many young voters (including young Republicans) would write climate misinforming candidates off completely, with 37 percent describing climate change deniers as "ignorant," 29 percent as "out of touch" and 7 percent simply as "crazy. More useful resources Do you live in one of these states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Vermont? Environment America has deemed them the “Dazzling Dozen,” with the highest per capita solar electricity capacity in U.S. Be sure to share success stories like this with visitors to show them what’s being done in their community, and how it’s good for the environment and people. For those other 38 states catching up in the renewable energy boom, it may help to show others why clean energy is such a great investment; wind and solar can prevent more pollution and actually save lives.

Blog Posts, Climate Change, Strategic Communication