This presentation discusses effective communication strategies for environmental advocates facing controversy. It recommends focusing outreach on the "bystanders" rather than direct adversaries. Key points include learning to embrace controversy, telling your own story, and using language like "stormwater" instead of "polluted runoff" to appear less confrontational. Sample exercises demonstrate reframing sensitive issues and responding to criticism without escalating tensions. The goal is prevailing in conflicts through persuasive messaging tailored to different audience perspectives.

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2. Please write down the meanest and the nicest thing that anybody ever said about you

3. Combat Communications for Conservationists Prevailing in conflicts, confrontations, and controversial situations Eric Eckl, May 3, 2008

5. “ Mr. Eckl is absolutely right” -- Annapolis Capital Times, November, 2006

8. Changing Slowly: Public Attitudes

9. Three major studies that explored patterns of environmental attitudes, knowledge, and conviction among American citizens. Similar But Different

10. Similar But Different

11. Key Concepts

12. You Them 10% 30% Attitudes Before the mud starts flying, public attitudes are most likely distributed about like this: 40% 15% 5%

13. You Them 10% 30% Attitudes Before the mud starts flying, public attitudes are most likely distributed about like this: 40% 15% 5% You

14. You Them 10% 30% Attitudes Before the mud starts flying, public attitudes are most likely distributed about like this: 40% 15% 5% Polluters/Developers/Big Oil/King Coal/ Etc…

15. You Them 10% 30% Attitudes Before the mud starts flying, public attitudes are most likely distributed about like this: 40% 15% 5% Bystanders

16. You Them 10% 30% 40% 15% 5% Staunch Supporters Attitudes Before the mud starts flying, public attitudes are most likely distributed about like this:

17. You Them 10% 30% 40% 15% 5% Generally Supportive Attitudes Before the mud starts flying, public attitudes are most likely distributed about like this:

18. You Them 10% 30% 40% 15% 5% Well-meaning – but faint hearted Attitudes Before the mud starts flying, public attitudes are most likely distributed about like this:

19. You Them 10% 30% 40% 15% 5% Just Lookin’ Out for #1 Attitudes Before the mud starts flying, public attitudes are most likely distributed about like this:

20. You Them 10% 30% 40% 15% 5% Actively Opposed to You Attitudes Before the mud starts flying, public attitudes are most likely distributed about like this:

21. You Them 10% 30% Knowledge Before the mud starts flying, some know more than others 40% 15% 5%

22. You Them 10% 30% 40% 15% 5% Pay attention to the issue before it becomes controversial Knowledge Before the mud starts flying, some know more than others

23. You Them 10% 30% 40% 15% 5% Only pay attention to the issue after it becomes controversial Knowledge Before the mud starts flying, some know more than others

24. You Them 10% 30% Conviction Once the mud starts flying, who can be persuaded and who can’t 40% 15% 5%

25. You Them 10% 30% 40% 15% 5% Hold views firmly Conviction Once the mud starts flying, who can be persuaded and who can’t

26. You Them 10% 30% 40% 15% 5% May change their minds Conviction Once the mud starts flying, who can be persuaded and who can’t

30. Changing Quickly: Forums for Public Debate

31. Ending: The Era of Mass Media Beginning: The Era of Nonpoint Source Information

32. Where they get their information

33. Media Choices are Exploding

35. Two Trendwatchers

36. Recent Trends in News Consumption Pew Research Center: Trends 2005

37. “ Watched TV news yesterday”

38. “ Read newspaper yesterday”

39. “ Listened to radio news yesterday”

40. “ Read a news magazine yesterday”

41. At the same news consumption falls… Roper Starch: Americans' Low "Energy IQ:" A Risk to Our Energy Future, 2002

42. “ Water pollution laws do not go far enough”

43. “ Environmental laws do not go far enough”

44. “ Endangered species laws do not go far enough”

45. “ Wetlands laws do not go far enough”

50. Words That Work (And Don’t)

52. Photo: Flickr, Redacted

54. “ Biodiversity” Photo: Flickr, merfam

56. “ Watershed” Photo: Flickr, Fernando Dall D’aqua

57. “ Watershed” by Education

58. “ Watershed” by Race

59. “ Watershed” by Gender

62. 24 Words That Work

64. Exercise #1: Open Up Your Language

65. A: Polluted Runoff B: Stormwater

66. A: Open Space B: Natural Area

67. A: Recreation B: Family activities

68. A: Watershed management B: Land and water conservation

69. A: Family vacations B: Tourism

70. A: Runaway Development B: Sprawl

71. A: Riparian B: Riverbank

72. A: Clean water B: Water Quality

73. A: Endangered species B: Wildlife

74. ? A: Environmentalist B: Conservationist

75. Exercise #2: The More You Deny It, The More They Believe It

76. What Did You Think? “ I am not a crook” “ I did not have sex with that woman”

79. Friends say: “ Great Speaker” Foes say: “ All talk”

80. Foes say: “ Same old same old” Friends say: “ Experienced”:

81. Friends say: “ Steadfast” Foes say: “ Stubborn”

82. Friends say: “ Considers all sides” Foes say: “ Flip flopper”

83. Friends say: “ Concerned Citizens” Foes say: “ Meddlers”

84. Friends say: “ Thorough” Foes say: “ Slow”

85. Let’s calm it down!

86. You are a hysterical environmentalist wack job

87. You are bunny-loving elitists who don’t care about people

88. You are overbearing government gestapo agents

89. You are red tape-loving ninnies

90. Let’s stir it up!

91. I am known for my financial success

92. I am good looking

93. I made a mistake

94. I am politically active in my community

95. I am a stickler for the letter of the law