Step 4: Craft your Community Why
Incorporate the issues that matter most to community members along with those identified through data analysis. Create a compelling "why" story to drive your sustainability efforts.
Why This is Important
One of the biggest roadblocks to successful climate action plans is not engaging your community. The easiest way to overcome this is by focusing on the "why" of the plan, not just the "what." Community members are more likely to support and participate in climate initiatives if they understand and connect with the underlying reasons behind them.
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How to Create Your "Why" Story
People will be most receptive to understanding and taking action on climate change if you lead with what they care about. Here's how to craft a compelling "why" story that resonates with your community:
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Identify Common Concerns
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Community Engagement: Gather stories and concerns from community outreach events. Look for recurring themes and issues that matter most to residents.
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Data Analysis: Use historical data to identify the most pressing climate issues in your community, such as rising temperatures, increased air pollution, or frequent flooding.
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Highlight the Consequences
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Future Impacts: Collect information on how these concerns will worsen if climate action is not taken. Use credible sources and projections to illustrate the potential negative outcomes.
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Personalize the Impact: Show how these future impacts will affect daily life, health, and well-being in your community.
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Craft a Cohesive Story
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Combine Data and Personal Stories: Merge the data with personal anecdotes from community members to create a compelling narrative. Highlight specific examples and quotes to amplify the story.
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Focus on Solutions: Outline how your climate action plan addresses these concerns. Emphasize the benefits of taking action, such as improved air quality, reduced health care costs, and enhanced community spaces.
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Motivate Action
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Call to Action: Inspire your community to get involved by showing them the positive changes that can occur if they support and participate in the plan.
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Community Quotes: Include quotes from community members to give voice to their concerns and hopes, making the story more relatable and powerful.
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Example of a "Why" Story
Data shows that temperatures have been increasing rapidly in your city. From community engagement events, you know that the biggest concern among residents is increasing air pollution, which exacerbates asthma and raises healthcare costs. You can then motivate your climate action plan with a story like this:
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"Our residents shouldn't have to struggle to breathe. Over the past decade, our city has seen a significant rise in temperatures and worsening air pollution, leading to a spike in asthma cases and healthcare expenses. By building more urban green spaces, we can reduce air pollution, lower temperatures, and create a healthier environment for everyone. Together, we can make our city a place where everyone can breathe easy and thrives.”
CIW's Role in Facilitating Your "Why" Story
At CIW, we facilitate this process for you, ensuring that your "why" story is both compelling and data-driven. If you decide to do this on your own, be prepared for it to take time and a lot of creativity. Sometimes, the relationship between community members' stories and historical data is not immediately clear. For instance, if community members complain about increased asthma rates and healthcare costs, and you have data on rising temperatures, it might require some extra data digging and scientific analysis to connect the dots. Increased temperatures can lead to increased air pollution, which in turn leads to higher asthma rates and healthcare costs. Be creative and think outside the box—your community members will thank you for it!
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By focusing on the "why" and creating a compelling story, you can engage your community more effectively and build stronger support for your climate action plan. This approach ensures that your sustainability efforts are not only data-driven but also deeply connected to the values and concerns of the people you serve.
Next Steps
In the download below, you’ll find our template for how to create a “WHY” for your climate journey. We provide some common examples of ways that community’s members stories align with historical data and some examples of how we’ve created stories in these communities that inspire community members to action.
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