Messaging Guide

Environmental protection

Begin in agreement, for example: We need to protect the quality of our environment.
Use values, for example: Security, safety, health, protection, responsibility, quality of life.
Show how they benefit, for example: When we protect the environment, we protect the quality of life, not just for ourselves, but for our children and grandchildren.

Nearly all persuadable Americans are worried about the quality of our environment and believe “as a whole, [it] is getting worse.” Still, whatever they may believe about national environmental issues, Americans are more concerned about how environmental issues affect them directly. They are worried about their own air quality and local parks, streams and wetlands. So, personalize your language—it’s about the air we breathe, the water we drink; it’s about health and safety for our children. Here is a generic message that you can adapt to fit issues in your community:

Say… We’ve got to protect our community’s health and safety, and our quality of life. We understand that includes keeping our rivers and streams clean. The Big Bend Project would eliminate a great deal of our pollution problem. This is the time for our county to take the responsibility to preserve the quality of life here, not just for ourselves, but for our children and grandchildren.

Of course, you need to explain how your specific solution delivers the quality of life that voters seek, and some audiences require more facts than others. But don’t confuse your audience with too many facts; focus on staying in agreement, voicing your values, and helping your audience understand how they benefit.