Energizer Newsletter
November 30, 2010
Volume 2, Issue 24
Extension Clean Energy Outreach
by Leigh Fortson
Extension Regional Communications Coordinator and REA (Renewable Energy Advocate)
Conference Encourages Positive Messages to Prompt Change
What’s ticking in the minds of people regarding climate change? How do they perceive the issues? Why do some believe it is happening while others don’t? Where are the trends of perception pointing? How have politics shaped public opinion? And how can we frame our messages about climate change so people will become more proactive without thinking of themselves as activists?
These are just some of the questions addressed at the Behavior, Energy and Climate Change (BECC) conference held in Sacramento November 15-17. Irene Shonle, Extension director for Gilpin County and co-leader for the Clean Energy Strategic Initiative Team, joined me for this information packed event. And even though there were plenty of sessions about technology, this event is my favorite because it has a great emphasis on exploring how people think.
Here’s a roundup of what you might find useful.
The opening speaker was Dr. Robert Cialdini, Regents Emeritus Professor of Psychology & Marketing at Arizona State University and author of Influence: Science and Practice. His speech addressed how to recalibrate environmental policies and programs which he suggests can be successfully accomplished by creating social norms. There are two types of social norms, he said: descriptive norms which are what people commonly do. Injunctive norms are what you think they should do. Injunctive norms can be encouraged simply by how you present your message which will have greater impact if it is positively framed.
For example, if your goal is to get 100% of the population to recycle, your message might say something like:
70% of Americans have come to understand the value of recycling because they understand the value of leaving their children and grandchildren a clean and safe environment. To them, sorting garbage is a simple act of love they give to their family.
This will be far more effective than a negative message such as:
There are still 30% of the American people who don’t recycle. Their choices contribute to the growing number of plastic bottles in landfills, dirtier air and water that impact both people and wildlife, and a greater chance for climate change disaster. Are you one of them? Isn’t it time to change your habits?
In whatever message you convey, emphasize what you want people to do rather than what they are doing wrong. Keep in mind, too, that people will do whatever they think most people are doing (which is the social norm). If few people are partaking in what you want them to do, keep focused on the solution rather than the statistics. Or focus on the positive trend, i.e. ‘twice as many people now are recycling.’
The mysterious masked man is actually Tim Hillman of Symbiotic Engineering that specializes in sustainability issues. www.symbiotic-engineering.com
Dr. Cialdini then spoke about the norm of reciprocation that says people will take action if they get a service or reward in return. When I checked into my hotel, I was offered a $5 coupon to any of their restaurants if I opted not to have cleaning service in my room. This was a great incentive. But what the latest data is revealing is that people will be even more inclined to take action of they are given a reward prior to the action you want them to take because they might feel obligated. You might consider this when planning your next outreach campaign.
Then we were given some of the latest statistics on perception of climate change issues, many of which were provided by the World Gallup Poll (www.gallup.com) which surveys 104 countries from around the world on a variety of issues. Regarding climate change, here’s what we learned:
- Half of the adult population in the 104 countries know about climate changes
- Of that, 90% feel that it is a threat to humans, except in America.
- 33% of Americans currently believe that climate change is not a threat and not caused by humans.
Col. Robert J. Charette, Jr, Director, Expeditionary Energy, US Marine Corps gave an illuminating and entertaining keynote speech about what the Marine Corps is doing to make their soldiers more comfortable and safe by using solar energy, insulation, biodiesel and other clean energy technologies.
Some other tidbits from Dr. Cialdini and other presenters:
- The top five carbon-emitting countries in the world listed from the highest to lowest include: Japan, United States, Russia, China, India
- In 1960, Americans were surveyed and asked if they knew about air pollution. 74% responded that they did. When asked if they would pay $100 in taxes yearly to mitigate the causes of pollution, they said no. However, 44% said they would pay $15 per year. 43% of the participants said they felt guilty about not wanting to pay for pollution mitigation.
- In 1997, both democrats and republicans agreed that climate change existed and that something had to be done about it. These days, democrats believe more than republicans or independents that it is occurring and that it is a threat.
- The most recent polls indicate that people believe less in the science behind climate change now than ever before.
- There is significant public support for having legislative policy to respond to climate change issues, but politicians don’t act on it because they don’t hear from their constituents. Only about 17% of Americans contact their legislative representatives. That’s because citizens don’t think the representative cares as much about them as they do corporations or big financial donors.
- Keep your message from eliciting fear. People tend not to take action if they’re afraid. But if they are alerted to danger, they can prepare for it or manage it and will become more engaged.
- Acknowledge and accept that people are uncertain about climate change. Many people respond to climate change based on what they believe is true rather than the scientific facts. If possible, engage a third party, such as a journalist, to take on your message and deliver it. That way, it provides some distance between the science or messenger and the people who don’t necessarily want to hear the news. It becomes part of a bigger story that might be more digestible.
- Many people think climate change issues affect someone else rather than themselves, therefore they don’t believe they need to take action. Consequently, it’s effective to frame messages in ways that encourage people to prepare for or adapt to changes that are affecting them now, such as temperature extremes. These can prompt weatherizing homes for the sake of saving money. Adapting to the changes that occur rather than trying to mitigate them will likely become more a part of the public conversation.
- When sending messages about preparing or adapting to changes, avoid the term climate change. Focus instead on the specific condition they will prepare for or adapt to. That avoids political divisiveness and simply gives them ways to be proactive. Also, emphasize the immediate benefits to making changes rather than how it could help them in the future.
- People shy away from policy regulations but most people understand the need for standards. Position your message in the context of wanting to create standards that will serve our communities rather than pushing for regulations.
There were a number of interesting breakout sessions at the conference. Perhaps the most engaging were stories of how using social media were used as agents of change resulting in highly successful campaigns. Go to www.carrotmob.org to learn about some of them, or visit www.350.org to learn about how social media is helping people around the globe understand the need to lower carbon levels. Interactive videogames are also proving effective to educate people and inspire change. Go to www.freeenergygame.com to see examples.
Overall, the conference is well worth the price of admission and it’s a great place to network. I was heartened to be in a room of about 700 people from around the world who share a common and worthy goal. To learn more about the conference go to www.BECCconference.org Or just reserve a spot at next year’s conference in Washington, D.C., November 29 – December 2.
CSU to Host New Climate Science Center
Source: Denverpost.com
Colorado State University will host a regional Climate Science Center designed to help understand current and future impacts of climate change on critical natural, cultural, wildlife and agricultural resources.
The North Central Climate Science Center will eventually host as many as eight federal scientists and several post-doctoral fellows who will provide regional land, water, fish and wildlife and cultural heritage resource managers with the scientific tools and information to adapt and mitigate climate change impact. The center is expected to be up and running early next year.
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced the selection of a CSU-led consortium of nine universities and other affiliated national laboratories on October 21.
Governor Ritter was enthusiastic about Secretary Salazar’s choice. “It is incredibly gratifying to see Colorado recognized as the most strategic site for the Regional Climate Science Center, and congratulations to Colorado State University for being selected to host such a prestigious consortium of research institutions,” Gov. Ritter said.
Read more: Climate science center lands at CSU - The Denver Post - www.denverpost.com/news/ci_16400176#ixzz16iBKG6K5
Inventor Wants to Kill the Electric Care
Source: Al Lewis, Denverpost.com
Eddie Sturman says electric cars waste too much energy. Like a mad scientist, Sturman operates from a sprawling mountain compound thousands of feet above sea level, in Woodland Park near Colorado Springs. Only he is not mad. He just happens to think the internal combustion engine is one of the greatest inventions of all time. It need not be abandoned to stop global warming or reduce America's reliance on foreign oil, he says. It just needs to be redesigned with modern digital controls.
Sturman's name graces more than 90 patents. In the 1960s, he designed a digitally controlled valve for the Apollo Space Program. Were it not for this little energy-saver, the nearly doomed Apollo 13 astronauts may not have made it home from the moon. That's one reason why the Space Foundation inducted Sturman into its Hall of Fame in 2003.
Sturman is a soft-spoken man and talked about one of the engines he'd modified.
"We can tell what's happening for every 1,000th of a second in every one of the cylinders," he explained.
An internal combustion engine like this usually has a mechanical camshaft that opens and closes valves that control air, fuel and exhaust. Sturman took out the camshaft, and he added valves that open at the precise millisecond a computer commands. This can make engines 50 percent more fuel efficient, and a lot cleaner burning, too. But this is only the beginning.
Sturman Industries hopes to promote its "Powered By Sturman" American engine modifications that address national energy and security needs by using technology to transform engine efficiency and facilitate the nations' effort to replace foreign oil with alternative American fuels. "Powered By Sturman" engines are internal combustion engines modernized with Sturman digital hydraulic valves, software strategies, and flexible system design replacing fixed mechanics, to increase fuel efficiency, reduce pollution from emissions and enable alternative fuels. To read the full story go to: www.denverpost.com/allewis/ci_13366970
New Mazda Gets 70 MPG
Source: Yale Environment 360
Mazda will introduce a subcompact gas-powered vehicle in Japan next year that gets 70.5 miles per gallon, model automakers say that combustion-powered cars can deliver fuel efficiency similar to hybrid vehicles. With a more efficient engine and transmission, and a frame and suspension system produced with lighter, high-tensile steel, the new Demio (called the Mazda 2 outside of Japan) is 30 percent more fuel efficient than similar models now produced by Mazda.
Models produced for the U.S. market will have a lower fuel economy rating because of different manufacturing requirements, but the vehicle will still use the same amount of fuel as a Toyota Prius, without the added costs of an electric motor and accompanying battery. The Demio represents a new class of gas-powered vehicles that automakers say can cut fuel consumption globally even more quickly than hybrids or electric vehicles since changes to the engines tend to be less expensive and can be implemented rapidly. Ford recently announced innovations that will improve the fuel economy of its Focus model by 17 percent, to about 40 miles per gallon.
But how ready is America for electric cars?
Some cities in America have prepared for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) for years, but the PEV transition will soon affect much of the U.S. With the first wave of vehicles shortly upon us, initial PEV fleets will hit specific areas where, for a number of reasons, readiness and appetite is highest.
The path of the subsequent nationwide rollout of PEVs will be driven by a “chicken-and-egg” dilemma of city readiness and charging infrastructure.
Luckily, pioneering cities are helping make the roadmap to PEV readiness much clearer and shorter for those who are less prepared. It is not too late for newcomers to the game to join the next wave of PEVs by learning from the leaders how to more rapidly “get ready.”
In the report, “Electric Vehicles in America,” Roland Berger Strategy Consultant and Rocky Mountain Institute’s Project Get Ready identify which of America’s 50 largest metro areas are currently most prepared for PEVs. Report findings were shared by RMI's Matt Mattila at The Business of Plugging In conference in Detroit. Learn how your city measures up.
Electric Cars Get a Jump-Start From Feds
Source: Miller-McCune.com By Emily Badger
The early adopters of many new technologies — the calculator, the computer, the color TV and the hybrid car — could afford to be pioneers. In fact, technological trendsetters have long earned prestige as the lone owners on the block of the next big invention.
But the latest wonder, poised to come on the market in America this winter, carries a different set of circumstances. If you’re the only person in town who owns an electric vehicle, good for you. But you’re not going to be able to drive it very far.
The mass deployment of EVs requires more than just eager buyers. It requires a whole new infrastructure. And figuring out how to deploy the two in tandem is one of the EVs’ biggest challenges.
Now carmakers and would-be buyers are getting a little help from government. The Department of Energy last year put up a $100 million grant, funded by the stimulus bill, for the most ambitious experiment to date deploying electric vehicles and infrastructure in America. The public-private partnership, called the EV Project, expects by next fall to have humming 8,300 vehicles, thousands of at-home chargers and hundreds of commercial plug-in sites in six states — or “laboratories.”
“It’s much like if you can imagine a world that had no petroleum fueling stations, and no internal combustion engine cars, then all of a sudden you want to roll out 100,000 gasoline-powered vehicles — how would you do that?” said Don Karner, president of ECOtality North America, the company that won the DOE bid to manage the project. “There has to be a simultaneous rollout of infrastructure plus vehicles. But with electric vehicles, we have a distinct advantage in that our fuel is essentially available everywhere, including in the home.”
Everyone has electricity. But how does an electric car tap into that? To really extend a car’s driving range beyond the overnight charge it collects in the garage, charging stations will have to be as ubiquitous as gas stations. But if you plug your car into your office, your grocery store or your local mall, who pays the power bill?
To read the rest: www.miller-mccune.com/politics/electric-cars-get-a-jump-start-from-feds-24745/?utm_source=Newsletter133&utm_medium=email&utm_content=1102&utm_campaign=newsletters
Tip of the Month
Check out this 28-minute video narrated by Brad Pitt called Design e2: The Economics of Being Environmentally Conscious: http://www.hulu.com/watch/23331/design-e2-the-green-apple It reveals how buildings contribute to the carbon footprint and what innovative things are being done to mitigate it.
Thanks to CSU’s Del Benson and his Land Help web page for bringing this to our attention. www.LandHelp.info.
If you or someone you know wants to figure out exactly how much energy their appliances are using, Extension can help. The new kill-a-watt loan program is now available in 12 counties. We loan out devices that measure energy use at the home or office. For more info, go to: www.ext.colostate.edu/energy/killawatt/
Upcoming Events
World Climate Summit
December 4-5, 2010
Ritz-Carlton, Cancun, Mexico.
Join global leaders such as Sir Richard Branson, Ted Turner, Lord Stern and Emilio Azcarraga, and listen
to more than 100 high-level speakers from more than 20 countries. This is the beginning of a 10-year
initiative that will provide a new, open and collaborative framework for prominent business leaders,
financiers, entrepreneurs, philanthropists and government officials to accelerate solutions to climate change
during every UNFCCC COPs until 2020.
Register now at: worldclimatesummit.eventbrite.com
Solar Energy International
Offering online courses in the following topics:
PV101: Solar Electric Design & Installation (Grid-Direct)
January 10 - February 20 -- Online
February 21 - April 3 – Online
PV202: Grid-Direct Design & the NEC
January 10 - February 20 – Online
PV206: Solar Business and Technical Sales
January 10 - February 20 – Online
For more information or to register, go to www.solarenergy.org
Global New Energy Summit
April 17-19, 2011
The Broadmoor
Colorado Springs, Colorado
The Global New Energy Summit is designed as an annual retreat of new energy (which includes new innovation in old energy) leadership from across the key disciplines of science, industry, policy and finance. By bringing together national and international leadership from across these key disciplines it is believed that unique discussions will occur. This will enable more complete understanding of the critical issues needing attention for success in transitioning our energy economy over time. This will in turn lead to better informed public and private initiatives designed to succeed.
Rocky Mountain Technology Alliance
1150 Academy Park Loop, STE 136
Colorado Springs, CO 80910
Helen Porter, Program Director
Email: hmporter@rmtech.org
Phone: 719.785.0399
CSU Energy Website
To learn more about wind, solar, geothermal, and biofuels, visit our energy website at: www.ext.colostate.edu/energy.
Furthermore
Go to hes.lbl.gov/hes/db/zip.shtml and you can do an online calculation of your own energy use and carbon footprint. It’s easy to use. Tell your communities about it.
Send me anything that’s newsworthy that you’re doing in the world of clean energy and renewables. We need to keep our colleagues up to date on what’s going on in Extension and the value of our role!
Leigh Fortson
Extension Regional Communications Coordinator and REA (Renewable Energy Advocate)
Colorado State University Extension
2764 Compasss Drive, Suite 232
Grand Junction, CO 81506-8746
(970) 241-3346, FAX (970) 241-3643
leigh.Fortson@ColoState.EDU
Updated Thursday, May 17, 2012