As I was walking in the streets of Shanghai the other day, I heard a conversation between a little British kid and his mother. The 8 years old kid was trying to convince his mother about the importance of recycling and how we could all make a difference in protecting the environment.
Sure, this kid is living in one of the world cities where environmental issues and concerns are most pressing, and visible in the everyday life.
But this conversation made me think about the importance to engage children as key audience / stakeholder in green or sustainability communications (or marketing) campaign since they can be powerful agents of change for sustainability. Why?
- Children are incredibly optimistic that they can effect change and help contribute to a better world. They can be more involved and more passionate about environmentalism than their parents.
- Youngsters can channel their power in a positive way to ‘green-evangelize’ people around them like parents, other relatives and even teachers, thus helping to change environmental awareness and behaviors (i.e. influencing their parents’ buying or recycling habits)
According to Edelman’s goodpurpose global study of consumer attitudes, 61% of people globally say they have taken action because they were asked by their own or other people’s children!
And finally, youngsters are also incredibly active on social networking sites such as Facebook, which can contribute to affect change on a much larger scale and in an interactive way.
However, this is not an audience to underestimate. Engaging kids requires a certain level of understanding and ‘sophistication’:
- Do not adopt a ‘doom and gloom’ approach, in which children are confronted by images of drowning polar bears, choking smog and urban slums. Rather, chose a transformative approach that values, encourages and empowers children to be problem-seekers, problem-solvers and action-takers in their own environments.
- Don’t ever talk down to them, but rather treat them like intelligent participants with legitimate ideas, perspectives and creative responses—in authentic exchange and action around meaningful environmental and social issues
In China, some NGOs are actively engaging children and young adultsaround environment conservation / energy / recycling issues:
- Through the eco-office evaluation program, Shanghai Roots & Shoots sends high school and college students to assess companies’ ecological footprints. Such programs provides an entire new perspective to environmental education as it actively involves young students in a meaningful way to educate office employees (and also relatives and friends) about sustainable environmental practices at the workplace.
- JUCCCE will distribute more than 10 million CFLs to Shanghai residents over the next seven years, as part of is “China Green Lights for All” program. The CFLs will be distributed through students on campuses and in community centers to help educate and enable the generation most likely to make a long lasting lighting behavior change
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