ACTION PLAYBOOK:
Activate Your Network
Let’s take action.
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Inspire at least one person close to you to take political action on climate.
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Write your script
Choose who to reach out to
Call or text them
Make it stick with follow-ups
1. Write your personal script
Choose a climate policy solution, then craft your personal script by responding to each of the following prompts with a few sentences.
Why is climate change an issue you’ve chosen to act on? Why do you want to share this part of yourself with the person? If you’re having trouble articulating this part, try using this Write Your Climate “Why” exercise.
Write 1-2 sentences on the specific policy solution and why it’s important to you.
Include a direct ask to join you in taking climate action with your organization, and send a link for them to sign up.
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As a new parent, I’ve been really struggling with climate anxiety lately. I keep thinking about the world Amanda is going to be inheriting. I’ve been doing a lot of research, and one of the most impactful things to do is push for policy change.
There’s a campaign going on right now to ban all new drilling on public lands. This issue is really important to me because more drilling won't solve our energy crisis. The largest proposed drilling project, Conoco Phillips' Willow in the Arctic, would extract 160k barrels of oil daily. It’s insane.
Drilling for oil destroys public land, generates water and air pollution, and displaces and disrupts wildlife habitats. So many national parks are increasingly in danger. As you know, spending time in our national parks and forests brings me so much happiness. I want my children to have that too.
I joined a group called [X] who meet to take action on this. It’s really simple; you just have to show up, no prep work needed. It would mean a lot to me if you joined me in taking action. Is there a time slot that works for you?
2. Pick 1–3 close contacts to reach out to
Start by considering the “spectrum of support” below. It’s a way of classifying how active people are on a given issue. It’s useful because no political movement that activated more than 3.5% of the population has ever failed. This means we need more than 3.5% of people in the leftmost two segments: “The Movement” and “Active Allies.”
The goal in getting friends and family involved is not to convince people who are neutral or opponents. A much easier path is to move people from “Passive Supporters” to “Active Allies.”
Identify 3–5 people who fit into the “Passive Supporters” category—people you know care deeply about climate change but don’t know how to do anything about it or haven’t carved out the time.
Tip: If you’re based in an area that tends to have a lots of “Active Allies” already, try to think about people from other towns, regions, or states. It’s incredibly valuable to bring in people from all over the country, and our events are virtual.
3. Pick up the phone
Call or text the people identified above and try out your script! We encourage you to call on the phone or video since those formats lend themselves to more intimate conversation. But if you must, you can send a text.
Don’t forget to make the direct ask! Some people might say no, but if you ask 3-5 people you’ll almost certainly get one yes! If people are nervous, share your experience of becoming active through your group.
4. Create your follow-up
Doing something for the first time feels intimidating, so folks often find many reasons not to go. This is where your follow-up and support is so crucial. Start with:
Sending them a calendar invite to come take climate action with you next time.
Consider starting a email/text thread if a few of your friends are excited to join you. Going with a group is more fun!
Set a reminder (right now) for yourself to message them the day before the next event to let them know you will be there and it means a lot to you that they are joining.