Community Education: Methods & Media 2009 ACI Conference, Kansas City Tuesday, April 28, :05 am MOBL1 A. Tamasin Sterner Pure Energy Lancaster, PA

Session Objectives ►Hear how Pure Energy influences public awareness about the energy/climate relationship ►Learn a simple method to present info in a factual and non-judgmental way ►Learn how to support reporters and writers become successful at sharing info you want shared

About Pure Energy ►Pure Energy's mission is to support everyone in discovering ways to reduce energy use. ►Since 1986, we have been in over 40,000 homes – mostly low income. ►Our approach involves tools and techniques that focus energy saving efforts where they can do the most good.

Background/Stage Setting ►We are busy, so we are not looking for airtime or print – we don’t need to advertise! ►Our goal is to educate as many as possible – we hold community education presentations ►Our approach is to support others – including news-folks

My Experience with the Media Print, TV, and Radio ►Been on TV 8 times ►Been in magazines 6 times ►Been in newspapers 8 times ►Do frequent community workshops ►Never asked to be interviewed

Why Work With the Media? ►A way to reach a lot of people ►They need and want to tell stories/news ►A way to gain exposure for your business  Once you are considered an “expert”, other media call

Why Do They Interview Us? ►Not sure… but I think because we:  Want to support them, not promote us  Developed relationships with them – we feed them story ideas – they feel special  Do our homework and provide props and stories when interviewed  Give them what they want rather than what we think they should say or do – how can we serve them?  Am consistent, reliable, and have no judgment – and work hard to be correct  Am passionate about people taking responsibility for their own lives and choices

Getting Your Message Across ►Interviewers have their own agendas ►Media people do not understand our business (and don’t have time to learn it) ►Editing can distort or truncate information ►Sometimes they just get it wrong

Recent TV Spot Video: What Does an Energy Auditor Do? 2:16 min.

My Goals vs. Reporter’s Goals ►Reporter wanted to be able to say “It’s not all smoke and mirrors” after use of the chemical smoke, so to meet her need, I used a mirror when I really would have used a pressure pan in a real audit ►Reporter cut mention of climate change, carbon footprint ►Because it is our main focus, I wanted to stress the occupant behavior as the main point to get across, but, even though they filmed me saying it multiple times, they cut it out every time ►I didn’t teach the session she said I’d be teaching ►Wrong town on the screen ►Been doing audits “like this” for almost 30 years ►The actual airing mentioned an auditor makes $198,000 a year – job creation an agenda

Another TV Spot Video: How Could You Conserve Energy in Your Home? 4:02 min.

My Goals vs. Reporter’s Goals ►Reporter cut all mention of the need to reduce electricity use in order to slow climate change ►She had a deadline for “Green Week” and had to film me that day ►She wanted me to talk about “tips” that everyone can use – I wanted to stress a customized approach ►I wanted to use my office, but she wanted to use my husband’s office ►I wanted to stress the difference between non-dimmable and dimmable CFL’s ►Reporter didn’t name the session by it’s title

Community Presentations Many people are hungry for information! ►More than an self-promoting info-mercial ►Offer a list of timely topics ►Need a location that can accommodate you and the attendees ►Sponsored? Advertised? Fee? Partners? ►Handouts, sign-ups, follow-ups

Which Community Education Medium Works for Us: Our Experience MediaProsCons Print, Blogs Readers can save the article for future use We can’t control who else is quoted in the article – guilt by association. Misquotes. TV and Radio Viewers and Listeners can learn more than Readers Good sound bites are often the goal – not learning. Misquotes. Community Presentations Attendees can see, hear, and experience, so more learning happens We say what we want Getting sponsors (paid) can be challenging. Time consuming. Need control.

Be Prepared! ►Your call and volume will increase! ►These calls and s don’t necessarily increase profit ►Responding to calls and takes time – lots more opportunities to educate ►Damage control, due to being misquoted, also takes time

Controlling Your Message ►We like to stick with a few simple-to- understand, get to the point statements to start all interviews ►Simple

“Get to the Point” Examples ►Articles that list ‘10 tips to save the earth’ or ‘10 quick ways to green your home’.  These news pieces don’t typically prioritize energy-saving actions OR relate them to the reader’s pattern of energy use.  The reader may end up wasting money and time….  Greenwashing is not helpful in meeting most goals. So, we say the following…

Simple, Consistent Message ►“ The more you learn, the easier it will be to decide what YOU and YOUR FAMILY can do to meet your goals. ►You will learn something if you read this article or watch this TV interview, or attend this workshop, and discover what you can do to meet your energy goals – and live a healthy and safe life”.  From our experience, mothers are the eco- leaders

Basis for Approach Our Philosophy ►Become good at something and stick with it, refer to it, believe it ►For us, it’s been being customer focused – especially relating to a family’s pattern of energy use: Energy Use Analysis ►And… we tell the truth, even when it might not be popular or make us money

Our Methods ► Consistent Message:  For us, it is Energy Use Analysis and Personal Responsibility/Consumer Choice ► The Coaching Model  Tell the Truth  Include all Family Members  Act. Take Personal Responsibility

Why Do We Use This Method? ►It works for us with our customers ►It works for us with the media ►It works for us with the public

Use Analysis ►The customer’s patterns of use drive measures and energy education ►The more energy they use, the more we have to work with and the easier it is to relate energy use with climate change

Coaching Model with thanks to Maria Nemeth, Ph.D. ►Look ►See ►Tell the Truth ►Take Authentic Action If Authentic Action needs to be taken to get results, the Truth needs to be told

Coaching Takes Time ►LOOK at the thing. Focus. ►SEE what it is doing, how it is acting – notice, examine, and discern. ►TELL THE TRUTH – All Partners - about what is seen. Associate with costs, benefits, expectations, choices, options, consequences. ►TAKE AUTHENTIC ACTION, together, to move in a positive direction.

Coaching Example ►LOOK: There is a heating unit in the garage. ►SEE: It is set to come on at 74 degrees. ►TELL THE TRUTH: Heating the garage uses a lot of electricity and costs $X per month. You are not paying for all the electricity you use. The utility wants you to use less electricity…or, You won’t meet your savings goals unless you…. ►TAKE AUTHENTIC ACTION: Remove temperature sensitive items from the garage; separate laundry area from the rest of the garage…

Another Example ►LOOK: There is a dehumidifier. ►SEE: It is running and it is winter. Rainwater drains into the basement due to foundation leaks and poor street drainage. ►TELL THE TRUTH: It costs $X to run the dehumidifier each month. If the rainwater didn’t enter the basement, the dehumidifier wouldn’t have to run in the winter. You are not paying for all your electricity use. The utility wants you to use less electricity so they don’t have to cover you. Consider moving? ►TAKE AUTHENTIC ACTION: Let’s call the City and report the problem together.

Why Do We Stick With This Model? ►We had great success in a utility pilot auditing program ►High users, low income, bills subsidized ►Intense auditing and education and follow-up ►All but one case saved, and the savings ranged from 6% to 47% annually ►Savings are consistent for years ►Some were able to get off the subsidy

Electricity Use Analysis, All Cases, Pre-Audit Tamasin’s Cases

What Works for Us ►Taking enough time to:  Really connect – to really understand what is going on and why – “look, see, tell the truth, take authentic action”  Explain purpose and benefits of your visit  Know particulars about that household’s energy use, program benefits, potential savings  Technically correct – but use easy to understand language

Does the Media Respond to the Coaching Method? For us, YES! ►LOOK at what they say they want to accomplish in the interview ►SEE what it really means to them – their success ►TELL THE TRUTH by using your simple, to the point messages over and over ►TAKE AUTHENTIC ACTION by providing them with images, props, follow up information, personalized plans

What Doesn’t Work in Personal Interactions ►Doing things TO people – “for their own good”… ►Losing objectivity, patronizing, judgmental ►Inappropriate tone, tempo, volume ►Not balancing receiving with giving information – too much information! ►Rushing through anything ►Focusing on your stuff rather than their stuff ►Paper pushing without explanation ►Focusing on SELLING rather than Customer’s BUYING

Active Listening is a Goal It begins with the intention to listen to the other person. Key skills are to: ►Ask open-ended questions – ones that can’t be answered with a Yes or No ►Paraphrase – state in your own words- what you believe someone just said – to be sure ►Empathizing -- understand they are trying their best – just like you

What People Say ►“I now understand how my energy use impacts the world” ►“I didn’t know I was using a lot of energy because I can afford to pay my bill” ►“I now understand how to protect my family”

Conclusions I WIN – THEY WIN – EARTH WINS! High and persistent energy savings are possible when: the family’s use is analyzed and appropriate measures are taken and the time is taken to effectively and honestly coach people. Less energy use = better planet.

Questions & Feedback A. Tamasin Sterner