tips for encouraging your membership to take action
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Tips for Encouraging Your Membership to Take Action. Palo Alto Non-Profits Go Green April 14, 2009. The problem of climate change The power of individual action Effective approaches Acterra programs. Topics for Today. 2. The problem we face. Climate Change Basics - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Tips for Encouraging Your Membership to Take
Action
Palo Alto Non-Profits Go GreenApril 14, 2009
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The problem of climate change The power of individual action Effective approaches Acterra programs
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Topics for Today
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The problem we face
Climate Change Basics• Greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane) trap
Sun’s heat within the atmosphere• Earth heats up and climate patterns change -- colder/hotter some places, more intense storms, etc.• Sources of greenhouse gases: burning fossil fuels,
deforestation, livestock waste (methane)• Negative feedback loops:
• Melting tundra emits even more methane• Albedo effect: heat energy reflects from white ice,
is absorbed by dark ocean waterActerra Action for a Sustainable Earth
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“We are in imminent peril. We have at most 10 years — not 10 years to decide upon action — but 10 years to alter fundamentally the trajectory of global greenhouse emissions and take significant actions to reduce them.
“If not, we will hit a critical tipping point after which it becomes impractical to make further changes. We are then locked into disastrous effects including major coastal flooding and droughts.”
-- Jim Hansen, NASA’s chief climate change scientist
A Planetary Emergency
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California Impacts of Climate Change
Climate change affects us because…
• We have limited water
• We depend on Sierra snow for water storage
• Our population is growing into wilderness areas
• California is a coastal state
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California Impacts
Climate change will cause• Droughts• Reduced Sierra snow pack• Wildfires• Sea level rise
Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth
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The Path to Climate Stabilization
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1970 1990 2010 2030 2050
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2.6Electricity end-useefficiency
Building, businessefficiency
Passenger vehicleefficiency
Other transportefficiency
Renewables
Carbon emission capture & storage
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“Business as Usual”
Embracing Change
After Pascala & Socolow
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Can one person make a difference?
The power of individual action
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Policy Technology
Behavior Change
Change how people Consume and creates a
demand for new technologies
Change how People think about the environment
Change how People Vote and creates Support for Policy
Change
Change how People act towards the environment
A stable climate
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The U.S. generates 25% of the world’s carbon emissions 50% of U.S. emissions are directly caused by individuals
Our buying decisions indirectly affect the other 50%
You can reduce your carbon output by changing: Your car and airplane travel What you eat How much electricity and gas you use
Individuals Make a Difference
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A U.S. household produces 55,000 pounds of CO2 in a year
A German household: 27,000 pounds A Swedish household: 15,000 pounds We can do better
How do we compare?
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US Energy Consumption by Sector
Source: Energy Information Administration
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The Opportunity
Our actions make a difference
Our homes are a big source of wasted energy
People are learning: saving energy means saving money AND curbing climate change.
We can help people make changes.
Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth
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Leveraging individual actions to create a collective tipping point.How do we get more people started?
Effective solutions
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What Works, What Doesn’t
Information is not enough to create behavior change
Effective public health & conservation programs leverage individual actions to create a tipping point that changes behavior of many people.
Think about
-- Changes in smoking habits
-- The growth of recycling
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Making it “Cool” to Change
Specific, easy steps -- Suggest very specific things to do.
Measurable results -- Demonstrate specific savings in money,energy and CO2 reductions.
Written pledge -- Strengthens commitment to new behavior.
Visible prompts -- Reminders for new behaviors.
Incentives -- Public recognition may foster completion of goals.
Peer support -- Behavior change is more likely when peers make a shift together.
Bandwagon effect -- Change social norms through visible signs of participation. This encourages others to join in the effort.
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Give people specific tasks to do -- install energy efficiency devices
And specific habits to build -- identify new conservation habits
Proven Strategy #1: Specific Steps
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Measurable results Start with a baseline measurement of current energy use.
Make a record of savings -- by individuals and of your group as a whole.
Focus on high-impact changes for even better results.
Proven Strategy #2: Count it Up
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Written Pledge Strengthens commitment to new behavior
Palo Alto’s free bag for a signed pledge
How can you incorporate a signature into your program ?
Proven Strategy #3: Commitment
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QuickTime™ and a decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
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Use prompts as reminders for new behaviors “Shut off your engine -- Children breathing here”
Harness the power of the aggregate Show how it all adds up -- think of a barn-raising!
Proven Strategy #4: Make it visible
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Saving money is one incentive But the amounts may be small
Example: Carpool lanes and hybrid stickers
Public recognition may be another perk. Be careful not to shame those who don’t participate or follow through
Proven Strategy #5: Incentives
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Tap the power of social support groups Think of Weight Watchers, AA,Team-in-Training, Toastmasters
Why they work Support network for trying new things
Accountability to others Fun and community building
Proven Strategy #6: Peer Support
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Change social norms In times of uncertainty, people look around at others for what to do
Classic experiment in Times Square Visible signs of participation encourage others to act Recycling bins out on Tuesday morning Brown lawns during a drought Use your own mug Green gifts for your hostess
Proven Strategy #7: Social Norms
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Green@Home -- for volunteers & residentsACTerraGREEN -- for organized groups
Acterra’s CO2 reduction programs
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How Green@Home Works
Education AND action -- using proven social marketing strategies
Face-to-face info sharing is most effective method
Leverages volunteer power to offer free service
Volunteers Help residents install simple energy-saving devices
Work with residents to create a customized energy saving plan
Become advocates for behavior changes Builds community through neighbor-to-neighbor approach
Creates bandwagon effect with lawn signs
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HouseCall Upgrades
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Additional HouseCall Actions
Review utility bill Energy Audit: Measure energy usage throughout house and identify opportunities for savings
Suggest additional upgrades or conservation habits
Discuss resources and handouts with resident
Complete customized energy saving plan Ask resident for signed commitment to next steps
Current Locations: Menlo Park Palo AltoRedwood CitySunnyvaleCupertino
Green@Home: 2008-09
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What is ACTerraGREEN?A group program to help everyone save energy
For people who want to make changes,
but don’t know where to startA simple, effective campaignLasts 4 to 6 months
The ACTerraGREEN Campaign
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How Does ACTerraGREEN Work?
Your Green Team plans a launch event Monthly “challenges” & surveys engage participants Website & E-mail group offer detailed action steps, suggestions, and feedback Survey results & outreach activities keep participants connected
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The Invitation and Pledge
Launching an ACTerraGREEN Campaign requires:
A Green Team An invitation describing the campaign and encouraging everyone to sign up
A pledge event to showhow many people arecommitted to participate
Peninsula School families added rocks to this jar, showing how
many pledged to participate
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Website & E-mail Group
A customized website describes monthly challenges and other resources
A community e-mail groupto share results, ideas and news
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About Monthly Challenges
• One-time actions, such as swapping all your incandescent bulbs for compact fluorescents.
• Repeated actions that become habits over time, such as using personal water bottles instead of buying bottled water.
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Monthly Challenges
Winter heat Things you plug in Your consumer footprint Holidays Transportation Water
ACTerraGREEN provides written info each month on topics like:
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Monthly Surveys & Results
Surveys are
• Conducted on-line*
• Once a month
• Take just a minute
• Anonymous
• Totaled up to produce graph of community results (at right)
* Non-computer users may request paper copies
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ACTerraGREEN Outreach Activities
Ideas some communities have used: Hand out free CFLs Cookie baking demonstration: toaster vs. conventional oven
“Don’t Idle” driveway education Screen “An Inconvenient Truth” or “Hoot” Host a “Green Tea” to socialize and share ideas
Organize a carpool initiative Provide a Home Greening Kit: Kill-a-Watt meters, indoor/outdoor thermometers, caulking guns, etc.
Speakers to discuss specific environmental topics
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Benefits to Your Community Group
Brings people together around the common goal to fight climate change.Gives your staff an opportunity to engage in social change on a first-hand basis. Allows you to serve as a model for other communities interested in “going green.”
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Some Successes So Far
Peninsula School:• 75% of families participated (about 162 families) • Participants took over 1500 actions to reduce home energy use
Las Lomitas & La Entrada Schools:• 265 families• Over 2500 actions to reduce their home energy use• Actions in first four months saved 120.6 tons of CO2 – equivalent to planting 9,647 trees or taking 22.1 cars off the road.
Now providing campaigns at:• Six churches & synagogues in Silicon Valley• Genencor, Palo Alto• Skoll Foundation, Palo Alto
-- and more!
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Get Involved: ACTerraGREEN
To start an ACTerraGREEN campaign,
Contact Ellen Wilkinson at Acterra:
[email protected](650) 962-9876, ext. 353
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“Be the change” you
want to see” in the
world.”
-- Mahatma Gandhi ”
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Replace a 100W incandescent bulb with a 26W compact fluorescent bulb of the same brightness Save $68 over the life of the bulb Prevent release of 490 pounds of CO2 Equivalent to not burning 25 gallons of gas in your car
Action: Lightbulbs
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Change the heater temperature to 68° when people are home and 55°- 58° when house is empty.
For cooling, set it to 75°- 78° when people are home and OFF when people are away.
You’ll save 1,400 lbs of CO2 /year.
Action: Turn Down Your Thermostat
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Change the heater temperature to 120°
You’ll save 150 lbs of CO2 /year.
Action: Turn Down Water Heater
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Set up a clothesline -save 260 Lbs of CO2
per load.
You may save over3,120 lbs CO2 /year.
Action: “Solar” Clothes Dryer
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Livestock sector responsible for 18% of all greenhouse gas emissions, a higher share than transportation. Switch from a meat-eating to a plant-based diet, save 1.5 tons of CO2 a year — that’s 50% more than the 1 ton you would save by replacing your regular sedan with a Prius!
Skip meat one day a week, and prevent up to 428 lbs. of greenhouse gases annually.
Action: Eat Less Meat
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Burning a gallon of gasoline generates 20 lbs CO2
A tuned-up engine can improve fuel efficiency by 30%.
Properly inflated car tires can save 3-5% more gasoline, too. Make an appointment for a tune-up. Learn to check your tire pressure regularly.
You’ll save 1,500 lbs of CO2 /year !
Action: Tune Up Your Car
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You may save over 2,000 lbs CO2 /year.
Action: Drive Less
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20% of the energy used in California goes to pump, heat or treat water.
Install a low-flush toilet. Rebates may be available. Call Santa Clara Valley Water District for a FREE “water wise” check up.
-- www.valleywater.org/conservation-- SCVWD also offers rebates for water saving irrigation systems.
Action: Reduce Water Usage
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Household chemicals -- Pollute water & poison wildlife-- May be affecting human health
Concerned about your products? visit Environmental Working Group www.ewg.org for a list of products & practices-- Cosmetic safety database-- Guide to pesticides in produce
Action: Use Fewer Chemicals
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