This fledging, new field is filled with possibility. The international community is very close to American, European [Copenhagen 2009], Australian, South American (in flux) and Chinese climate/carbon legislation also inevitable (buyer-seller carbon credits matched at this Beijing China Carbon Trade Summit). Prior to legislative commitments, numerous businesses and organizations are already seriously considering their environmental impact. Climate conversations are important as ever.
As sustainability communicators seek to spread the message, there are a multitude of social media tools at our disposal. There are several issues to unpack when considering sustainability communications. Particularly important: what tools do communicators use now and what tools might be useful in 2009?
Curious, I connected with Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Sustainable Communication, Don Carli. After briefly establishing the definition of sustainability (using earths' resources in line with planetary limitations) we spoke about where sustainability communications is heading. Verbatim unless quoted.
Noteworthy questions and answers:
Q: How does the ISC communicate about sustainability?
A: We use a multi-media communications platform for outreach including conferences, webinars, twitter, online advertising and print editorial content.
Q: What are useful tools for sustainability communications?
A: If marketers want movement towards a sustainable, low carbon economy, we must take a lifecycle approach to environmentally-friendly outreach campaigns. This means "sustainable" rather than "sustainability" communications. These campaigns are just as much about being green as communicating about it; transparency and credibility are important. Companies engaging in media outreach campaigns should implement strategies to best ameliorate or reduce their environmental impact now for the benefit of financial, social and environmental successes. Budgets can be reduced and outcomes enhanced through critically analyzing budgets and eliminating waste. Ultimately, the goal is to "embody principles of sustainability in your media marketing communications supply chain activities".
Q: Are there "sustainable" communications trends?
A: Already, industry leaders such as Timberland are making real and sincere efforts towards recycling, reducing and reusing and are making significant profits from doing so. What's most important for environmental communications to be exclusive of moral, ethical and media "monocultures"; rather, embody systems thinking approaches produce collective action. One significant trend is the US (European and international) sustainablity-focused healthcare systems--especially considering the interest in electronic filing--this area has exceptional growth potential.
Personally, what I'd really like to see is how to analyze my twitter trends to make tweeting more productive. (As well as @ev knowing how much carbon one tweet uses).
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