Comparing Messaging

Communicating Climate Change:

Communication is a very important part of the human life. We, as humans, have a need to communicate with others. We communicate through words, actions, expressions, and through other things like even scent. The way we present our ideas and thoughts to others varies depending on what it is we are trying to get across and who we are trying to communicate with. When it comes to communicating environmental problems, causes, effects, and solutions, we may have to speak to different audiences. We know that it is important to analyze our audience to communicate in the most effectively and efficiently way possible. Everyone has different experiences, and everyone is going to react to information in a different way. Companies, organizations, the government, and people, have used different methods in order to communicate the urgency of climate change and global warming to their audiences.

It is important to know your audience. Some people may best be captivated through facts and information. By presenting them with numbers and statistics, these people are able to see the evidence given to them and process the information well. Others, not so much, they might process information through making connections with the subject presented instead of processing data. In addition, the background of a person or a group of people needs to be taken into account.

A person’s identity can change the way they interpret information given to them. For example, if you were to approach a low-income person of color belonging to Generation Z, the way you would deliver your message would be different than if you were talking with a high earning, white, middle aged man.

Figgener's video, taken in 2015, became a buzz across social media platforms by 2018.

Communicating Across Platforms

We can take the example of the “Save the Turtles” campaign that circled social media platforms starting 2018. It was not a new movement. In fact, the non-profit organization “Sea Turtle Conservancy” was founded in 1959 in response to Dr. Archie Carr’s “The Windward Road,” an award-winning book “which first alerted the world to the plight of sea turtles.” Not only does this organization work on conservation efforts, but it also does research throughout the decades on how to save the sea turtles, especially the Caribbean green turtle, from extinction.

As part of their advocacy, representatives from the organization testify to Congress and other state and federal agencies to advocate for the protection of sea turtles. If you step into a Congress room, representing an organization, the way you would approach this situation would be much more formal than trying to reach out to youth on social media. In this situation, the way you dress, the tone of your voice, your posture, and the strategies you use will be targeted toward the specific members in your audience. Research as well as previous encounters congressmen and statesmen have had with advocating or hindering initiatives done by the organization as well as others.

" ..So yes, it's ok to tell yourself that you're helping save sea turtles from imminent extinction by shopping online: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/59-6151069 🐢💳🛍 "

This photo was put up by STC, Sea Turtle Conservancy, showing a smiling turtle with a caption encouraging the donation of money through Amazon.

"Happy Pi Day!! 🥧🐢🍓"

This photo was put up by STC as a way to celebrate Pi Day on 03/14/2020.

Both of these photos were selected due to the message they are conveying. Both photos convey a happy feeling to the user that comes across them. These pictures, by being goofy, lift the sensation of worry from the person who sees them to one of endearment towards the sea creatures. As a result, people feel compelled to do something to keep innocent animals alive and free to continue being goofy. In addition to this, STC has incorporated online shopping into their strategy. The internet has become a huge platform for retail and merchandise, it is convenient and easy to use. . Therefore, when you mix the attractiveness of online shopping with a reward of contributing to a good cause, especially one that is frequently talked about, people are more inclined to follow it and contribute.

We have learned from Rachel Valletta, Director of CUSP (Climate and Urban Systems Partnership) at the Franklin Institute in about effective climate change communication strategies. She suggested the following:

Communication Strategies

We know that we will have will be different from one another. For example, in the United States, when you want to talk about the effects of climate change, you would talk about wildfires to an audience in California, drought to an audience in Colorado River Basin, flooding in New Jersey, and increase in severe hurricanes to residents of the Gulf of Mexico. One must learn about our audience: who they are, what is their story, what is causing issues, what practices to they have in place, what is their perspective on the issue? In order to have a conversation with others, we must connect over a common subject, analyze how climate change affects the audience, and propose solutions while being open to feedback and input.

Many more questions must be asked. Climate change is a complicated problem with roots that may be nasty to uncover. However, we must listen to one another and learn from one another. This is an issue that concerns us all.

Further Questions to Consider:

As we continue to develop new technology, how can we adapt our communication strategies to best fit them?
How do our biases over certain populations affect the way we present information to them?

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