We came across a wonderful piece of research last week that I felt I ought to share with you. I was helping to present the concept around our 'Sizzle' document recently, up in Scotland. Some people really loved the idea, got the concept and were on board: others really didn't.

Isn't this just terribly shallow? Isn't it time to stop all this woolly thinking around climate change? Shouldn't we shock people, make them realise that what they're doing is wrong and educate them to change their behaviour?

My answer is no. Climate change too important an issue to carry on communicating as we have done before. What about the people we are trying to communicate to (you know, the vast majority who are sitting on the fence about whether climate change is anthropogenic)? Are they listening or going deaf?

There is some very compelling evidence in psychology that 'shock tactics' don't work for issues with consequences that aren't in the direct future, like climate change. Whilst shock tactics might work for seat belt campaigns, where the consequences of not belting up are immediate, imaginable and incredibly nasty, telling someone that they should turn their lights off or polar bears will die/ children in Bangladesh will suffer seems too ethereal a concept for some. In the same vein, there is a lot of evidence to suggest that information alone does not lead to behaviour change (afterall, if this were true then no one would smoke).

Historically, many green campaigns have taken this tack, which is what makes this graph so compelling. Despite an increase of media coverage on green issues, mainstreaming of green products and better education about climate change, the number of people who believe that claims that human activity is contributing to climate change are exaggerated doubled between 2003 and 2008 (see graph below).

Is media hyperbole to blaim for this green fatigue? Is it the recent climate change scandals or the coldest winter for decades? Or is it green communication campaigns themselves? I don't know, I suspect it's a combination of the three, but what I do know is that we need a new way of communicating and we need it now.

For more information, have a look at Global Environmental Change in the coming months, for an article by Lorraine Whitmarsh called: Scepticism and uncertainty in public understanding of climate change.

Just a quick nod to Sandbag who have released their new report on 'Carbon Fat Cats': companies that are profiting from the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

All very interesting stuff and definitely worth a look...

Last year I wrote a post about why sustainability is a communicators dream, because it's a subject full of great stories to tell. 

Today I discovered Copyblogger.com, a great source of advice and inspiration on telling great stories and writing magical copy.

Check it out. 

Johan Hari has a stinging piece in The Nation this week, which will make painful reading for those in the US environmental movement.

"After decades of slowly creeping corporate corruption, some of the biggest environmental groups have remade themselves in the image of their corporate backers: they are putting profit before planet. They are supporting a system they know will lead to ecocide, because more revenue will run through their accounts, for a while, as the collapse occurs."

Recommended reading for this weekend.

It's Fairtrade Fortnight (22^nd February -7^th March), and The Fairtrade Foundation have teamed up with big brands like Cadbury's and music artists like Paulo Nutini to encourage people to swap their usual products and buy Fairtrade instead.

At Futerra we swapped our usual tea and coffee for Fairtrade a couple of years ago, but from our behaviour change knowledge we know that trying to conduct a straight swap can cause a bit of resistance! People don't like it when changes are made and choice is taken away from them.

So, in your efforts to swap, think of an innovative way to do it. You might want to organise a tea morning introducing Fairtrade teas and coffees to celebrate Fairtrade fortnight...maybe dressing your boss up as a tea lady and getting him to distribute the tea? As I said, we've already swapped ours which is a shame... I think Ed could have looked particularly fetching in the outfit! To make your own tea lady visit Cafe Direct.  Check out all the other cool things on the Big Swap website like submitting your swap to the swap-o-meter or telling your 'tea-maker' exactly how you like your tea.

I got tweeted the link to this great little comedy short on 'Funny or die'. It's the video equivalent of 'Godwin's Law' (when an argument is inevitably and ultimately lost by accusing your opponent of being a Nazi) and made me laugh a lot...

I just watched this brilliant little animation from The New Economics Foundation (NEF) on the absurdity of un-checked economic growth.

The Impossible Hamster is a great viral (already storming Twitter and the likes) to promote NEF’s latest report; Growth isn't Possible: Why rich countries need a new economic direction.

It poses the important question, why have hamsters not been used more in mitigating climate change?

On a separate hamster themed note, the website ‘unexpectedly funny things to do with hamsters when you are bored' is also well worth a look.

The Olympics are over and the report is in- Vancouver has received a bronze metal in protecting the environment.  The scoring was done by the David Suzuki Foundation.  If you are not Canadian you may not know about Mr. Suzuki, the ultimate green and zen man.  To sum it up he is a national treasure and a real pioneer in sustainability. This scorecard looks at how well the Vancouver Olympics addressed its own climate impact along with how it did in engaging others on the issue of climate change.

Some of the carbon cutting achievements included building energy-efficient venues, using clean-energy sources, relying on public transit during the Games, and offsetting part of the Games’ emissions. So why didn't the Canadians get a gold?  They were the country with the most gold metals for the actual events.  

Vancouver failed in engaging the public!  

The report reads 'The Olympic Games are an unparalleled opportunity to reach out to billions of people around the world and inspire them with solutions to climate change. Yet this is the category where Vancouver has had the least success.'

New business opportunity for London 2012- I think so. 

According to this piece in today's Guardian, activism makes us happier.

It must be all the calories burnt off at political marches, skilled penmanship in writing to our MPs, and popularity amongst Facebook friends who click on the petition links we post.

As someone who fails to truly understand the point of matching socks, let alone a matching outfit, I am surprised by my interest in the next fashion trends coming out of London Fashion Week.

This is due solely to the recent report by Forum for the Future and Levi Strauss & Co.  Fashion Futures 2025: Global scenarios for a sustainable fashion industry.

The report details four possible futures for the fashion industry, highlighting both the opportunities and the threats.

Whilst I fully recommend the report, for those with less time, Forum has created a short film to accompany each vision.

My favourite by far is the ‘Techno-Chic’ future and the new-rave, glow stick wielding land it portrays. All clothing is designed for long term durability followed by 100% reuse and remanufacture. Fashion houses post styles online allowing consumers to vote for the items which go into production.

Spray-on garments and high tech materials which can change texture and colour will mean that fashionistas can keep up with the latest trends without buying new clothes.

Companies will lease clothing rather then selling them so instead of packing to go on holiday, you will be able to rent appropriate clothes when you get there. 3D body scanning will bring the changing room to the bedroom, and door to door valet services will reduce the impact of washing clothes.

The other visions, ‘Slow is Beautiful’, ‘Community Couture’, and ‘Patchwork planet’ touch on many other points. Fair wage, low carbon synthetic fibres, local shops, hand crafted garments, energy-generating fabric, communal uniforms. Rest assured, hair shirts and socks with sandals are not the only way forward.

 Last night’s Green Monday saw Lib Dem team leader for Climate Change and Energy Lord Teverson and Shadow energy and climate change secretary, Greg Clark discuss the role each party sees business playing in the move to a low carbon economy.

Both covered (and largely agreed) on COP failure, the insignificance of Glacier-gate, and the need for business to move beyond slogans and into real action.

Lord Teverson discussed the need for more UK sourcing of renewables, bringing more green jobs and greater energy security. He grouped the fall of the iron curtain with the move from coal to gas power plants, and the recession as the only significant drivers in reducing our carbon footprint.

For this month’s Green Communications round table, we discussed Green PR Trends for the year ahead.

The group felt that the combination of ‘failure’ in Copenhagen, UEA emails and Glacier-gate has had a negative effect on both the public and business. It was seen as fuel to the fire for conflict loving media; a fire which the publication of CRC Energy Reduction Scheme league tables would only stoke further. We felt the media have an unfulfilled responsibility in the way they interrogate information and that in complex situations they should take more care in distilling information.

The responsibility of big business to weigh into environmental debates was discussed and the overarching conclusion was… it depends.

The table felt that some companies could weigh in more readily whilst others (without sustainability as a core principle) struggled. There was a general consensus that businesses, government, NGOs and the media should all take more responsibility in protecting a body which is sticking its neck out.

Following on from Glacier-gate, the group also discussed this responsibility in relation to scientists. As one participant put it ‘Scientists now occupy the same space as estate agents and politicians’ and in a very ‘Sizzle’ themed remark, ‘it’s the message we need to sell, not the science’.

Finally the table discussed the need to stop talking solely about climate change. It was felt that we could incentivise a low carbon future without doom mongering or the public knowing every single fact in detail. The examples of peak oil and bumble bees where used to demonstrate that a combination of engaging tactics, personal touch points, and positive visions can be the next generation of effective green messaging.

As Ed Milliband often points out, Martin Luther King had a dream, not a nightmare.

Yesterday, Sara & I visited UCL to give a press release writing workshop to students of the Engineering in Urban Sustainability and Resilience programme.
 
Students are involved in an industry partnership and part of the projects assessment involves writing a press release.
 
During two hours of tips and advice on the perfect press release, we discussed Greenwashing, writing styles and finding your angles.
 
The bright and enthusiastic students excelled in the tasks we set them, practicing editing skills, distilling major themes, spotting the angle, and generating headlines.
 
Students will soon have to write their own press releases before pushing them out to selected media and hopefully getting some coverage for their projects.
 
We wish them well and can’t wait to see their final releases!

Us warmists, hippies and tree huggers have been banging on about the benefits of corporate responsibility for a while now. Not only do businesses that practice CR well benefit from greater trust from their customers, but they attract better employees, streamline their business practices and ultimately can save money and attract new investment opportunities.

Or so we claim...

There's been quite a lot of evidence to support our wild and insiduous claims recently too. The recent Edelman trust barometer reveals that, since 2006, the most important criteria for 'shaping trust' has shifted from customer service and products and services. In 2010, those surveyed listed transparent and honest practices and belief in overall trust in the company as the most important criteria.

Then there's Marks and Spencers, who have decided to extend their 'Plan A' scheme for another eight years after saving £50m through changing their practices last year.

Not bad eh?

There has been a robust debate on this blog over the merits of Identity Campaigning versus the Marketing Approach. Occasionally things have got quite heated.

But we're all friends really. So for a sneaky peak into a email exchange between myself and Tom Crompton of WWF see the new edition of Inside Track from the Green Alliance.  

Polite, but pointed. 

It's work Jim...but not quite as we know it!

http://www.lowcarbontravel.com/2010/02/top-ten-train-tunes-for-traincation.html

You can also follow these shenanigans on twitter via @futerra and @frucool... and using the hashtag #traincation 

After Tony Juniper, ex head of Friends of the Earth, announced he’s standing for parliament in Cambridge at the next election, now ‘eco-starlet’ Tamsin Omond is challenging Glenda Jackson for her Hampstead & Kilburn seat.

Both are campaigning on climate change but also the need to refresh politics. Both also seem to be deadly serious about their campaigns.

It’s quite thrilling to think about a parliament with these two in it. Ex direct action campaigners sitting at the heart of government should make things a little more interesting! 

The Washington Post has the first interview with Van Jones since his return to public life this week.

The father of the green jobs movement will be teaching at Princeton and working at the Center for American Progress. We're thrilled to see the return of a powerful and inspiring voice for the green and sizzling economy!

IDEO, the birthground of 'design-thinking' and the design agency du jour, is a fertile ground for ideas.

Their Patterns website is thought provoking, intelligent and full of exciting examples. Using some old favourites (Don't Mess With Texas) and new ones (Safeway's Food Flex) to illustrate behaviour change, they're able to turn abstract ideas into real-world understanding.

In the latest issue of their briefings, IDEO venture into the realm of sociology, discussing the re-design of masculinity, and how the design world can help in that transition.

Perfect mid-morning reading.