Cowboys, Conservationists, and the Hopeful Herd

When we are trying to make something happen, environmentalists sometimes think like cowboys. We break the cattle prod and rhetorical attempt to shock the audience out of complacency and into action, with a stiff jolt of bad news. There is a time and place for that - but to motivate people to actually do something, you have to mix the bad news with a more positive environment message.Here are some examples of "cattle prod" messages that have crossed the my desk recently: "giant corporations spend billions to control our elections," "massive portions of the sea ruined by plastic waste", "enter the atmosphere methane is likely to accelerate the crisis of global warming." Yikes! Sometimes the contents of my inbox the morning makes me want to just go back to bed and pull the covers over my course head.Of, these messages are true. And you must tell the public of a problem to make the case for the solution. But if you simply shake the bad news with a cattle prod repeatedly, you might demoralize and desensitize the public. Sure, they might agree with you - but it will not anything.To will give you a flavor of what I mean, I recently ran some awareness of conservation materials before a test panel of citizens every day. Here are some reactions to messages of shock: Shock of Bad Habits environmental Posts: • "There was so much trash and showed the damage was so great that it gave me what I could do would break really help stop this terrible waste? " • ". The actions of one person alone do not play really add up to much" Shock Posts About financial needs: • "My action / donation only would be effective only if I am one of many who donated land is not cheap. ... "•" It would be my small contribution Certain would really make a difference ... " Messages Shock About the inertia of government: • "Being a single voice, my only opinion can hardly manueverings political effect ..." • "I realize that government officials receive hundreds of dogs, if not thousands, of complaints and suggestions every day. Unless action is taken on a large scale, I doubt he would have a significant impact on government policy ... " Not exactly the words of people ready to spring into action to save the day, right? These quotes highlight the urgency of mixing in a few words of encouragement and success. This is what the author John W. Gardner meant when he wrote, So listen up, cowboy, "the task and the surname of a leader is to keep hope alive." - You might get some cows move with your cattle, trusted products, but the herd mentality that drives the company. People find hope and courage into the herd. Read how our test panel has responded to some conservation messages that evoke a sense of strength in numbers: When you are told the others that work together to change bad habits: • "... the acts of one person multiplied by many thousands of like minded people can have a profound impact on the problem "When You Told others have already done their part to give: •." ... with donations found makes it seem like my action would have a greater impact "When You Told Others have made a difference by signing a petition. Officials:. • "... a widespread petition may have some influence on the various representatives of the constituencies who asked" Well, next time you find yourself sitting at the computer to come up with the environmental message that you want to motivate the public to some some action, remember herd.Moo the importance of hope! [EXTRACT] If we try to make a difference, environmentalists sometimes think as a cowboy. We break the cowboy rhetoric and try to shock the audience out of complacency and into action, with a stiff jolt of bad news. This is a time and place for that - but to motivate people to actually do something, you need to mix the bad news with a positive ecological message.Here are some examples of livestock "driver" messages that have crossed my desk recently "The big companies spend billions to control our elections," "huge parts of the sea disfigured by plastic waste," "methane in the atmosphere, global warming threatens to accelerate the crisis." Whoa! Sometimes we want is the content of my inbox in the morning makes me just go back to bed and pull the covers over my head.Of Of course, these messages are true. And you have to do to tell the public about an issue, the case for the solution. But when you shake it again and again with the herdsman bad news, you might demoralize and desensitize the public. Sure, they might agree with you - but you do not anything.To a taste of what I mean, I've recently launched a couple of conservation awareness materials ran in front of a test group of citizens every day. Here are some reactions to the news shock:. Shock News About Bad Habits suitable environment • "There was so much junk, and the damage was so great that it gave me pause to really wish I could help you stop all these terrible waste?" • "The actions of a person from alone does not add much. " Shock news on financial need. • "My actions / Donation only be effective if I just one of many who donated the land is not cheap I ..." • "I do not want to be sure that my donation would really make a difference ..." Shock news about government inaction: • "Why has one voice, my opinion only with difficulty can lead manueverings political ..." • "I noticed that representatives of hundreds of state, if not thousands of complaints and suggestions received every day. If you are working on a large scale, I doubt that would be to maintain a strong influence on government policy ..." Not exactly the words of those who intend to take action to save the day, are they? These quotes highlight the urgency of mixing in a few words of encouragement and success. This is what the author John W. Gardner, meant when he wrote, in order to stop, Cowboy "is the first and last task of a leader is hoping to preserve." - You could move some cows with a trusted driver to get the cattle, but it's the herd instinct that society is moving. People find hope and courage in this herd. Read how our panel answers a few test messages of conservation that evoked the feeling of strength in numbers: When you tell others to work together to change bad habits: • "... a person's actions multiplied by many thousands of like- minded. a profound impact on the problem is: "When I told him that others have already done their part in order to: •" ... combined with donations make my actions seem to have a stronger effect, "as the others say make a difference by signing a petition made. Officials: • ".... A petition may have a widespread influence on the various representatives of the electoral petition" So, next time you sit down at the computer to come up with an ecological message that you want to motivate the public to something action, remember the importance of hope herd.Moo!