Resource Type: Field Research

Using data on extreme weather to locally target messaging in areas experiencing it can dramatically increase impact. Through a pilot with Climate Central, the Innovation Team at the Partnership Project acquired a data set from NOAA of geographies impacted by extreme weather. They partnered with the National Wildlife Federation to examine the performance of two emails sent in July on extreme heat. They found people in the zip codes experiencing extreme heat for at least two consecutive days responded at a higher rate, doubling conversions. This confirms polling suggesting that local extreme weather influences opinions. Additional weather data sets from the NOAA are available by county, zip code, and Congressional district. This data is available for use to inform your online and offline targeting and match the right local extreme weather message/creative to the people impacted by that particular type of extreme weather. You can also watch a debrief video.

Interventions designed to encourage a particular pro-environmental behavior may have unintended consequences on other behaviors. These so-called “spillover” effects can be positive (for example, when increasing water conservation behaviors also leads to increased energy conservation behaviors) but advocates may also be concerned that they will be negative (for example, when enrolling in a green power program gives people moral license to consume more energy overall). While research on spillover effects is in its early stages, there are few signs to be concerned. On average, spillover effects on other behaviors are negative, but they are also negligibly small. However, keep in mind that most of these studies were conducted in the lab. Looking at the few studies in the field on spillover effects in real world behavior, there are more positive effects.             

Place-based civic science (PBCS) can be a powerful tool to empower youth to act on environmental issues. This resource found that PBCS, as a method, resulted in youth feeling that they belong to a group larger than themselves and gained a sense of hope from working with others toward shared goals. PBCS is a teaching and organizing tool where young people partner on teams with older environmentalists, the teams study and act together to mitigate an environmental problem, and then present their efforts in a public venue. The youth involved in these PBCS teams were majority youth of color. This resource argues that PBCS can mitigate the stress and anxiety that young people can feel when learning about environmental issues without also being presented with ways to influence those issues.             

Opinion data reveals signs of increased climate concern across the U.S. We may very well be nearing the tipping point in public opinion so essential for action. So what type of climate messages do we need now? We at Potential Energy have been rigorously testing different message frames and have learned a lot about what to say (and what not to say) at this critical juncture in the climate change movement. So we share with you clear, concise, actionable takeaways about what words to use (and what words to definitely avoid) so that we can drive up support during this once-in-a-lifetime moment for action.            

Certain organizing strategies can allow activists to develop leadership skills in different ways. In Australia, the organization School Strike for Climate (SS4C) has generated more involvement among high school students in the climate movement. SS4C has particularly employed some tactics such as “peer learning, mentoring, learning by doing, confrontation, reflective spaces and training” to allow new high school activists to develop leadership skills. SS4C used movement tactics such as mobilizing, organizing, and lobbying politicians, and these different avenues for involvement also allowed new activists to engage in different ways to develop different skills, and lead others in doing them. These different tactics also have different strengths and weaknesses in facilitating leadership development through their execution.

Young Coloradans believe in a future where everyone is treated equally, resources are abundant, and we use innovative and creative solutions to solve big problems such as climate change and racial inequality. 57% of all youth named “equality” as a top value, and 44% named “relationship with Earth” as a top value. Among BIPOC youth, 60% named “technology and innovation” as a top value (with 52% naming “equality” as a top issue). Top issues named by all youth include: racial justice (60%), mental health (58%), healthcare (56%), education (40%) and climate change (40%). Many young people are unsure of where to start to create change but desire to be more involved and learn through experience. Young people strongly value the impact of voting, yet also believe it is insufficient on its own to create change. This report includes lots more specific survey questions and answers.