Resource Type: Lab-sponsored

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)             

From September 2018 to June 2019, the California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA) conducted message testing to develop valuable analysis about how to most effectively mobilize environmental justice communities to increase long-term, persistent engagement on climate issues and potentially inform their programmatic work.