Archive for April, 2008

Over the past two weeks, I have been talking to a lot of people who want to do communications and marketing for nature protection and pollution control organizations. In these conversations, we wrestle with a challenge: Traditional news media is still dominant, and online social media is still nascent, yet all signs point to this reversing in not so distant future. So how do we get the word out about nature protection and pollution control today, and also acquire the skills we need to get the word out tomorrow?

This morning I came across some interesting research that suggests that blogging and other new media techniques are an effective way to get your message out to traditional news reporters. In 2007, TEKgroup International surveyed a bunch of reporters and found:

• 70% of journalists read at least one blog regularly
• 25% of journalists read five or more blogs to keep on top of their beat
• 37% receive at least one regular RSS feeds
• 16% receive five or more RSS feeds

These numbers are higher than the adult popultation as a whole, and they will surely grow.

My takeaway from this study was that nature protection and pollution control can take up blogging and other new media activities with the expectation that journalists will cover their issue will be among the first to check out their work.

Try it, you might like it!

The time has arrived for me to explore the world of “carbon offsets” and I’m looking for advice on some good ways to do that. Here’s why: I am heading out today on a good old fashioned road trip — a big one — the boondocks, WV, Chicago, IL, Cleveland, OH, Portland, ME, and Atlantic City, NJ. I’m visiting clients and speaking at some fine events:

• 21st Annual National Conference Enhancing the States’ Lake Management Programs
• 2008 River Rally
• 2008 River Management Society Symposium
• 2008 National Water Quality Monitoring Conference

If you are going to be at any of these events, please introduce yourself.

It’s a lot of miles and a lot of pollution. I know there are organizations out there that can recommend an appropriate donation based on miles traveled, and will use that donation to plant trees or something like that. I have also heard vague rumors that some of these outfits are not legitimate.

So… do any of you have any recommendations?

It was my pleasure to address the Government and Social Media conference today. I enjoyed the post-presentation dialogue a lot.

Click here to download a PDF of my presentation today. Good luck with your efforts in the future.

In a little email chitchat last week, a reader named Colleen mentioned that one of her colleagues has this bumper sticker on their door, noting “Does it make me agree with her, or even respect her opinion? Nope.”

Think about that next time you contemplate getting snarky or sarcastic when you preach beyond the choir.