The Social Benefits of Engaging Diverse Audiences To Sustainability

“... talent for speaking differently, rather than for arguing well, is the chief instrument of cultural change.” - Richard Rorty, philospher

Dominant Silo (Adversarial) Thinking Economy SocietyEnvironment VS

You never change things by fighting against the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the old model obsolete. - Buckminster Fuller

Systems thinking Environment Society Economy

Reframe as It Needs to Make Sense ¢

Visioning

“If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." -Antoine de Saint Exupery

Backcasting

Roles of Environmental Communication  Reconnect  Reframe  Rethink

Engage your Audience: Recycling or Sorting Trash? Common Southeast Alaska attire. Chris Hatton 2013 Connect to their values

Connecting to Values "Every Albertan has a stake in the quality of our air and it is imperative the economic growth does not compromise Alberta's right to breathe clean air!” -Danielle Smith, Wildrose Leader, 2010

Effective Engagement Assume that others may not share your values and worldviews. Ask, listen and find out what is important to others. Use local language that speaks to local values. Complete feedback loops Communicate face to face as much as possible

Invite Rethinking, Valuing All Opinions

The Purple Thistle Food Forest, Summer 2012

Empowering This had implications for the way they saw the world around them, and the way they engaged in the built environment. Collaboration builds bridges showing your opinion matters.

Communities Build Resilience

Thank you!

Contact Dr. Liza Ireland Acting Program Head, MA in Environmental Education and Communication Program Royal Roads University