Sustainable Boise: Communication Campaign

Sally Hunter University of Idaho

Rationale Goals and Objectives Cities and towns across the United States are engaged in practices that are directly influencing pollution levels and greenhouse gas emission levels. The public is barely aware that their actions, their homes, and their towns are causing irreparable damage to their environment and contributing to climate change. Only 28% of U.S. Americans view climate change as a top priority (Lee & Koski, 2012). In just forty years, U.S. Americans have increased the amount of urbanized land they occupied by a factor of four: from 13,000 square miles in 1950 to over 60,000 square miles in 1990 (Mitchell, Urban Sprawl). As U.S. Americans continue to spread out, they build new homes, using up nonrenewable natural resources at an alarming rate-worldwide use of raw materials for construction stands at over 3 billion tons per year and U.S. construction accumulates 170 million tons of solid waste (Berry, Eco-Friendly.; Choosing Green., EPA). This sprawl increases the amount of time people have to spend in their car daily. Both of these actions (construction and commuting) contribute to both pollution and carbon dioxide emissions, which in turn affects climate change. The more land a home occupies and the farther it is from the city center, the more the occupant is damaging the environment.

This organization has several goals that needs to be accomplished. These can be split into three phases. Phase one is an awareness and education campaign to alert Ada County residents to the perils of urban sprawl. Phase two will work to change green building behaviors and to protect green space around the area and phase three will focus its efforts on overhauling the zoning and permitting process through legislation. This communication campaign will focus its goals on phase one: awareness and education. These goals are: Increase awareness of the role that urban sprawl and resultant commuting plays in climate change. Increase awareness of individual responsibility and ability to mitigate climate change through behavioral changes. Increase the knowledge of county residents in regards to green building and green renovation options in the Treasure Valley. Increase knowledge of incentives that encourage green building and renovation.

These goals are the short term, phase one goals that must be accomplished before a countywide move to overhaul the zoning and permitting process for new construction and renovation can begin. After these goals are accomplished and there is a marked increase in green renovation and a decrease in new construction occurs, it will be feasible to approach lawmakers about legally limiting urban sprawl in the Treasure Valley. Accomplishment of these goals will show law makers and policy planners that there is a need to help mitigate Ada Countys role in climate change and that county residents wish to do this by limiting sprawl and encouraging sustainable building practices.

Policy makers in neighboring Oregon worked to limit their urban sprawl by limiting the size of private lots that could be subdivided and sold. Outside of certain city limits, lots cannot be subdivided into parcels smaller than 80 acres (Mitchell, Urban Sprawl). The average lot size of a suburban home site is only .35 acres (U.S. Census, Ada County). Developers cant feasibly create a subdivision of 80-acre lots when the demand is for lots 1/228th that size. With this policy in place, Oregon lawmakers have helped to reduce some of the urban sprawl that plagues much of the western United States. The ultimate, long term goal of this campaign is to accomplish a similar feat.

Audience The general target market for this campaign is homeowners in Ada County, Idaho. Ada County had a population of over 390,000 individuals in the latest U.S. Census and is the most populated single county in Idaho (U.S. Census. Ada County). Ada Countys population has almost doubled in the last twenty years, up from 205,000 individuals in 1990. The countys major cities and townships include Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Kuna, Garden City, and Star (listed in order of decreasing population).

The specific target audience is homeowners, and homebuyers, first time or not, in Ada County. These individuals are most likely to be white males with a families and a high school or higher education (U.S. Census. Ada County). Though white family males are the most populous homeowners or buyers in the valley, this campaign will aim its message at all homeowners and homebuyers. Focusing on only the white educated males would leave out a significant portion of the decision makers, though they may not be the homeowner/buyer themselves. 3

The easiest subset of the above demographic to reach will be those that are already interested in a sustainable lifestyle. These individuals are likely to consider the idea of biking as a way of commuting (at least occasionally), and they are also most likely to visit the local farmers market and frequent local shops. They are likely to be recyclers and at least marginally aware of what the term green building means. They may or may not have sought out information from the Internet or from business professionals about what they can do to be more sustainable, but they have an interest in making a difference. While the majority of Idaho is considered a red state or Republican, Ada County has the highest percentage of blue or Democratic voters. Democrats tend to align themselves with objectives that are earth-friendly and sustainable and, historically, are the more accepting political group when it comes to climate change science (Fisher, Waggle, & Leifeld, 2013). This will make the campaign a little easier in the early stages. Liberal residents of Ada County are likely to be more open to the idea of living in green, sustainably-built housing or to living closer to the city center to reduce commute times and, therefore, carbon dioxide emissions.

To make the most lasting, impactful change, this campaign needs to cement local demand for a sustainable city and green building codes. Once a solid demand is in place, the next phase of producing a quality supply of green building materials and technologies can be implemented. Encouraging homeowners and homebuyers to take responsibility for themselves and their environment will result in a demand for sustainably built, green buildings located within a reasonable distance from work, play, and shopping. A reasonable distance here is defined as a distance of less than one half mile when walking or three miles when bicycling to the intended target or a public transit center that could reach the intended target (Rastogi, 2011). These distances can adequately compete with a motorized vehicle for convenience. A reasonable distance is not given for car transportation as any vehicle transportation adds to the overall level of carbon dioxide emissions.

Messages

The main messages of this campaign are intended to reach the widest audience within the fastest time frame (less than one year), to increase awareness of the role that urban sprawl and excessive commuting plays in climate change. The messages will be: Urban sprawl contributes to climate change. o Wont you be my neighbor? Only you can prevent emissions. Utilize live/work options where available. Make your old home new again. Remodel sustainably. Infill the city, dont infiltrate farmland. Keep green acres green!

These messages will be disseminated with a variety images to help drive the point. Images will include spring and summer time scenery of mixed-use neighborhoods with a classic look. Tree lined streets with people either walking with families or bicycling will be used to show how family-friendly and safe a sustainably built urban neighborhood can be. Images of the Treasure Valley during the full bloom of summer, taken from a high vantage point will show how clean Ada County looks when nature is allowed to be present. Side-by-side comparisons can be made with pictures of vehicle jammed freeways with smog and angry drivers. These images will attempt to show that a home closer to the city center that requires little commuting is both cleaner and happier for the County.

Images of green and LEED built buildings will be shown alongside traditionally built buildings. These images will show a striking difference in the way natures esthetic is incorporated into a LEED building versus the cold steel of a traditional building. One component of a LEED buildings score is based on the atmosphere that they create, which is one of health, happiness, and cleanliness (LEED, 2013). The combination of all these images will show that a sustainably built, smart growth community is better for the community and the residents are happy with the changes.

Since the effects of climate change are not felt or even seen by the average person on a daily basis, individuals must rely on the claims made by external sources as to the seriousness of the issue (Young & Dugas, 2011). Therefore, there will likely be some opposition to these messages. In order to give a fair representation of the issue and to grab an attentive audience, journalists 5

try to give equal time to both sides of an issue. Unfortunately, in the arena of climate change, the opposition is rarely a scientist and when it is, they are debating the effects of climate change, rather than its existence. Because of this discord, journalists have ingrained a measure of doubt in the reading public. A study of German media between 1975 and 1995 showed that the media ignored the uncertainties and transformed them into a sequence of events leading to a catastrophy[sic] and requiring immediate action (Kurz, Augoustinos, & Crabb, 2010). This sort of media history does not lend itself to believability and must be overcome in order for the present campaign to work.

The best spokesperson for this campaign is a local newscaster or weatherman. Seventy three percent of Americans get the majority or all of their weather information from television news (Maibach, 2011.). Because of this close connection between weather presenter and audience member, weather presenters are a trusted source of information. Rick Lantz and Larry Gebert are two weather presenters in the Treasure Valley who have been presenting weather for over twenty years each (KTVB.com). These longstanding careers have made these two presenters trusted members of the community and the go-to sources for climate information. Utilizing this presenter/audience relationship will provide the biggest impact.

Media This campaign will seek to use a broad spectrum of media outlets in order to reach the widest audience possible. Television, radio, newspaper, and the Internet will all be utilized to distribute campaign messages. The campaign will begin with the concurrent airing of public service announcements (PSAs) and purchased advertisements in two local newspapers, The Idaho Statesman and Boise Weekly. The PSAs will air on the local television channels: KBOI-CBS affiliate, KTVB-NBC affiliate, KIVI-ABC affiliate, KNIN-Fox affiliate, and KAID-PBS. These announcements will begin the awareness portion of the campaign. The PSAs will begin educating the public about the importance of building or remodeling green and choosing to stay close to the city rather than building on precious green space farther from the city. The PSAs will also educate citizens about the link between urban sprawl, commuting and climate change. Concurrently, members of the campaign will work closely with public relations officers at the local newspapers and news outlets in Ada County to encourage media coverage of the topic.

After this portion of the campaign has begun, new media, including Facebook, Twitter, and blogging will be utilized to reach a younger audience. A Facebook page and Twitter account will be established to bring emerging information and resources to the public at a fast pace. The accounts will be used to disseminate small messages and slogans on a daily basis. These accounts can be used to offer prizes to followers, which increases attention and awareness in the community. Prizes may include general sustainable merchandise, such as T-shirts, reusable bags, and bumper stickers (see Appendix A). These accounts can also be used to educate followers about events around the county or at local businesses that pertain to the business of sustainability. Classes given by Home Depot or Lowes that teach remodeling techniques, for example, could be advertised to increase awareness of how to do it yourself. This may increase the homeowners attachment to their home and prevent them from selling or moving in order to build a new home that meets their desires.

A blog page would be deployed to establish readership and availability of informational resources. While Facebook and Twitter are easy to use and can be changed quickly to reflect new resources, neither has the ability to allow for an in-depth account of topics. Weblogs and websites can contribute to climate change debate, though the majority of their material is gleaned from other mainstream media (Young & Dugas, 2011).. The thrust of the blog would not be to present new debate on climate change, but rather to provide a forum for individuals to learn about climate change and its effects on Ada County and what consumers can do to mitigate these effects. A blogger would be able to go into great detail on several posts about individual topics such as: defining urban sprawl, explaining how urban sprawl contributes to commute times, explaining how commuting contributes to climate change, describing how to build a smart growth city, and listing things individuals can do right now in their home to make a difference. The blog will provide information and links to various businesses in the community that can help individuals accomplish their green remodeling and building goals, without moving to or building on land that was previously green space.

Toward the end of the year of this campaign, billboards, television and radio advertisements, newspaper press releases, and continuing new media, would be employed to promote a green home giveaway. Using local contractors and business owners, an older home in a desirable neighborhood would be purchased and remodeled using LEED techniques. All the above media 7

would be employed to advertise the green home giveaway and sell tickets. One ticket holder would win the new home. There would 10,000 tickets available at a price of $100 each (similar to another home giveaway program already operating in Ada County). If all tickets were sold, this would be a $1,000,000 fundraiser. Proceeds from the sale would be used to continue funding the campaign in its next phases. Such a high profile event has the potential to spark far ranging public interest in sustainability and green building.

Budget The budget for this campaign will include line items for PSA production, rates for additional radio advertising, billboard media, and incidentals like prize items. The green home giveaway portion of the campaign is listed as a separate budget, should the funding be unavailable or insufficient for this portion of the campaign. (See Appendix B)

Timeline The timeline for this campaign is based on the date that funding is approved and received, either for the entire campaign, or for just the portion that does not include the green home giveaway. (See Appendix C)

Assessment To assess the effectiveness of this campaign, several factors will be graded. Factors to be considered include adhering to budget, time management, dissemination of messages, and measurable changes in public behavior and/or perception of issue. A score of 0-40 will be considered a failure, 40-70 an improvement, and 70-100 a success. (See Appendix D) Conclusion This campaign covers a topic that is far reaching in scope but has been downsized to fit the Ada County community. Ada County is growing at tremendous rate, having almost doubled in the last twenty years. With that brisk pace comes the threat of urban sprawl and with urban sprawl comes longer commute times and increased carbon dioxide emissions. Ada County residents may be unaware of the ironic detrimental effects that their choice to live in the country is doing to that same country. Residents must be made aware of their responsibility to protect Ada County and

its green spaces. They must be educated about the options they have about building green and building sustainably to protect their county.

Appendix A Slogans for prize merchandise:

10

Appendix B Budget Line Item PSA Production 30-second PSA (includes production time and editing at a rate of $150/hr) * Script and Actors (provided by Sustainable Boise) PSAs sent digitally to stations New Media (Facebook, Twitter, Blog) Creation of Facebook and Twitter accounts Time spent updating accounts Website creation (using a free service) Domain hosting and registration (use of free service such as Weebly) Incidentals Promotional materials (t-shirts, posters, stickers, etc.) Optional Give-Away Budget Older home in city center Remodeling materials Landscaping Materials Labor (donated by local merchants in exchange for advertising) 30-second television and radio PSA (includes production time and editing at a rate of $150/hr) * Public Relations Consultant (logo, signage, and public relations)* Billboard Art Production (graphic design)* Billboards (6) placed around Ada County for 1 month* Printed Tickets (10,000 tickets) Yard Signs Open House Incidentals (decorations, etc.) Total
K.Hunter, Station Manager, KTRV 12, and J.Sanders, Salesman, Cumulus Media

Expense x 6 hrs =$900 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $1,000 $175,000 $75,000 $5,000 N/A x 8 hrs =$1200 $2500 $500 $6,000 $1,000 $500 $200 $271,000

*Pricing of PSA production, billboards, and PR consultation are from personal communication with

11

Appendix C

12

Appendix D Assessment Television PSAs produced on time and on budget (2.5 pts for each element) PSAs produced in accordance with message and satisfied with result? PSAs aired on all stations during primetime programming within one year? Radio PSAs produced on time and on budget (2.5 pts for each element) PSAs produced in accordance with message and satisfied with result? PSAs aired on all stations with one year? Print PSAs produced on time and on budget (2.5 pts for each element) PSAs produced in accordance with message and satisfied with result? PSAs aired on all stations with one year? Facebook Account Created? 1,000 followers within one year? 10% of followers "share" page within one year? Twitter Account Created? 1,000 followers within one year? 10% of followers "share" page within one year? Blog/Website Account Created? 30,000 hits within one year? (counter installed) Use of links to local businesses/organization? (counter installed) Active discussion threads created? (10% of site visits left a comment) Behavioral Changes in Public (survey every 5 years following campaign) Decrease in new,traditional builds on green space? (survey of contractors) Increase in green remodeling? (survey of contractors) Increase in green builds on "brownfields?" (survey of contractors) Total Points for Awareness Campaign (105 pts possible): Total Points for Awareness Campaign and Behavioral Changes (125 pts possible) Points (05)

13

Resources Ada County. 2010. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 10, 2013 from http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml Berry, Beth. Eco-Friendly House Building Materials. Green Living. National Geographic. Retrieved March 17, 2013 from http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/ecofriendly-house-building-materials2464.html Green Building. 2012. EPA. Retrieved March 10, 2013 from http://www.epa.gov/greenhomes/SmarterMaterialChoices.htm Fisher, Dana R., Waggle, Joseph, & Leifeld, Philip. (2013). Where Does Political Polarization Come From? Locating Polarization Within the U.S. Climate Change Debate. American Behavioral Scientist, 57(1), 70-92. doi: 10.1177/0002764212463360 Kurz, Tim, Augoustinos, Martha, & Crabb, Shona. (2010). Contesting the 'national interest' and maintaining 'our lifestyle': A discursive analysis of political rhetoric around climate change. British Journal of Social Psychology, 49(3), 601-625. doi: 10.1348/014466609X481173 Lee, Taedong, & Koski, Chris. (2012). Building Green: Local Political Leadership Addressing Climate Change. Review of Policy Research, 29(5), 605-624. doi: 10.1111/j.15411338.2012.00579.x Maibach, Edward W. (2011.). "Hey Mr. Weatherman, Is This [insert unusual weather event here] Related to Global Warming?" Oral Presentation at American Association for the Advancement of Science Annual Meeting. Rastogi, Rajat. (2011). Promotion of non-motorized modes as a sustainable transportation option: policy and planning issues. Current Science (00113891), 100(9), 1340-1348.

14

Young, Nathan, & Dugas, Eric. (2011). Representations of Climate Change in Canadian National Print Media: The Banalization of Global Warming. Canadian Review of Sociology, 48(1), 1-22. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-618X.2011.01247.x

15