I was catching up with a friend last night that I hadn't seen in a while. We took a walk along the beach and I gave her a rundown of my job situation. She didn't even know I had started a new job two months ago so I was telling her about interviewing for the job I never got offered and that I've been thinking about starting some kind of non-profit. She gave me a great idea that seemed right up my alley so I decided to look into it.
This idea was perfect for me, she said, because I wouldn't have to choose a cause (since I'm so passionate about the women's rights, animals treatment and the environment). Argh, I'm still bemoaning the loss of what I'm sure were brilliant notes taken at the lecture the other night. Another point I remember being struck by was a comment that information will drive the change we need. I think this is a universal and indisputable claim - information drives change - but surely there are subtle complexities that determine the rate and effectiveness of that change.
In the early days of advertising, ads were nothing more than a way to disseminate information. Do you know about our product? It does this, this and this and is so easy to use! As the range of products grew and more information competed for consumer's attention, ads had to become more clever. They had to make claims, entertain and make an emotional connection that would drive people to buy. Eventually, even that wasn't enough and, as Seth Godin explains in The Purple Cow, a product or service now has to be remarkable to stand out. Meaning, you can't sell crap anymore, there's just too much competition.
In the same way, you can't just say "there's global warming" and expect people to get on board with your agenda. In order for the environmental revolution to succeed - and it really is a revolution in that it will completely change how we view and interact with our environment - the message needs to contain the truth, be entertaining, create an emotional connection AND offer a remarkable solution.
My friend and I were talking about how it seems that there is a lot of information out there about what's wrong with the world but it's difficult to find answers to "what can I do?" I've found that beyond giving money and sending letters online or signing petitions, it seems difficult to find ways to volunteer for a cause. You have to know the name of the organization and what they do first. Her suggestion was a site that compiled that information so people could easily find ways to volunteer in some way that was fun and meaningful to them. I thought it was a great idea but had a vague sense that maybe it had been done.
I started by Googling "take action." The phrased yielded 26,300,000 results. Scrolling through the list I realize this phrase has come to mean something very specific - do something to make a difference in your world. Volunteer, donate, write a letter. With over 26 million results, however, there's a lot of competition for our time, attention and passion.
VolunteerMatch.org organizes volunteer efforts in an easy to find format. Type in your area of interest and your zip code and it instantly brings up a list of organizations and the way in which you can help. In my neighborhood, for example, K9 Connection needs people to walk dogs with a sign that says "adopt me" and help find the dogs homes. You get to meet people and spend time petting a doggie, in the name of a good cause. Or spend the day at the Santa Monica pier volunteering at the aquarium and watch kids squirm when they touch the sea animals. The local hospital needs knitters to make hats and booties for newborns. Truly, making a difference is this fun and easy and there's something for everyone.
The revolution will be different in that it will require us to make a lot of changes at home and in our thinking, as well as out in the community. For it to be effective, it will have to be remarkable and the action required will have to be this fun and easy.
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