Resource Library

Long-form, “deep canvass”-style door to door climate conversations may not be more effective at generating activism than a standard, more direct, canvass approach.  In an experiment involving 1,449 canvass conversations with voters conducted by Minnesota 350, voters were randomly assigned to either a long-form or standard script, and then asked to sign a postcard to lawmakers and recruited for future activism. Future activism rates did not differ between those receiving the two scripts, though the standard script may have produced slightly higher postcard signature rates. Conversely, there is some evidence that volunteer canvassers preferred delivering the long-form script, which may have led to higher volunteer participation in the canvass program. (Supported by a grant from the Climate Advocacy Lab)             

Recommendations from messaging research about climate change and the Green New Deal and how to communicate and engage people in the rural America include:

Every message must be embedded with Appalachian values (such as kinship, independence, resiliency, and resourcefulness) – whether it focuses on jobs or on health.
Show respect for the people who worked in coal and what they built.
Name entities behind the problem. Use the active voice.
Avoid alarmist messages. Show what the community gains. Offer local solutions that connect to regional values. Give examples of local people doing the work.