by Sam Randall
During this holiday season and time of sharing stories around the table, I had the great pleasure of sharing my blog posts with family and friends for the first time. With their insightful feedback I was inspired to write a new post about what I learned from the experience.
Prior to sharing my 2024 blogs, I repeatedly ran into the same communication barrier when trying to explain energy efficiency policy work: confusion over terminology and bias about climate and/or energy science.
One day after trying to explain work projects to a friend, I found myself looking for a way to visualize my work for them. I realized I hadn’t shared my blogs, so I took that step. After reading, my friend confirmed that my casual writing style engaged their imagination in a way that enlightened the abstract concepts better than outright explanations.
As a writer I want to maintain a down-to-earth style that allows my readers to feel like they are part of a conversation with a friend or acquaintance, rather than being lectured to by a jargon-heavy professor or facts-oriented journalist. I like to practice what I preach and write the way I speak. As a result, I have long been interested in science communication and how to message important (but complex or negative) political matters to the “masses.” This is especially true when it comes to communicating climate change policy.
It is no secret that the climate topics like the clean energy transition has a PR problem among many Americans. Messaging around climate change and making the switch to clean energy practices is often based around the negatives like the horrors humans are inflicting on our environment. Such messaging typically places (rightful) blame on corporations and the wealthy for pollution and arguing over how to right our wrongs. It often feels like we’re talking about what we must give up rather than all we can gain. It is no wonder that many Americans are turned off or burnt out by climate policy.
This is where storytelling comes in. Looking for a way to gently introduce climate topics to your family? Are you an advocate trying to shift public opinion? Either way, the first step is to meet the audience where they are and talk to them in their own language. Focus on experiences people may have in common, and universally appealing values such as health. Facts and statistics play an important part, but stories create connections. Storytelling taps into lived experiences and shared values in a way that data and technical jargon cannot.
Energy efficiency is something everyone can understand and care about – when you talk to them about what they care about. Shine a light on how the basics of energy efficiency relate to daily concerns: saving money, staying comfortable, and living healthy. Storytelling as a tool for spreading energy efficiency acceptance works because it shifts the focus away from debates about climate science and polarized policies and towards the tangible benefits and commonsense nature of energy efficient practices.
While researching for this post, I deepened my realization that storytelling and energy politics are no strangers. For example, see how other content creators bring storytelling to the forefront to help advance energy efficiency:
- Once Upon a Time…How to tell a good energy efficiency story that ‘sticks’
Research article that explores the power of storytelling in relation to behavior changes with energy. The authors look at how/why storytelling works, what different forms of storytelling are, and what makes a convincing story. - The Importance of Energy Efficiency to our Nation
Official resources from the US government designed for demand-side management professionals on messaging around energy efficiency. - The Power of Storytelling for Renewable Energy Brands: A Copywriter’s Guide
Short list article that explains 10 tips about how to effectively use storytelling in relation to renewable energy promotion. - Using Stories, Narratives, and Storytelling in Energy and Climate Change Research
Interesting research article that looks at how storytelling can be used and accepted in research about climate and energy – specifically using stories as a kind of data. - How to Talk to Homeowners About Energy Efficiency
Helpful blog post from the Building Performance Association that gives 5 easy-to-follow tips for contractors looking to talk to homeowners about energy efficiency. - Deep Canvassing
This resource is particularly for activists and other individuals looking to take their persuasive storytelling to the next level. The Deep Canvassing Institute does awesome work teaching activists how to have meaningful conversations across political divides that result in real change.
Ultimately, these resources highlight how storytelling is one of the most accessible and influential tools at our disposal for persuading people to adopt efficient practices and to better understand energy efficiency. By focusing on sharing narratives over sharing only the relevant statistics, it is easier to help people understand how energy efficiency affects their lives for good.
–Sam Randall is a Policy Fellow at E4TheFuture. This is their final blog post.