Environmental Advocacy

While searching for an example of environmental advocacy I found a Greenpeace “Save the Arctic” Campaign.  The campaign asks for people to sign a petition by entering their name and email address on the website.  I could not resist the adorable polar bears on the website (charismatic megafauna at its finest) and signed the petition.  After signing, I was asked to select the gender of my cub and to choose a name. Once I selected a name and gender I was redirected to a new page that informed me that my cub needs to be fed, pet and cleaned.  For signing the petition I earned three fish to feed my cub however in order to gain more fish I have to get others to sign. For every signature I receive my cub will earn 15 more fish. I then received an email from Greenpeace that was written as though a polar bear sent it to me:

 

Dear Kristine,

As our home melts, we deeply appreciate your generosity in giving little Cuddles a loving family. But time is running out for us, and unless we can stop the oil companies moving in to destroy the Arctic, the survival of all polar bears will be in danger.

Please help us: make a donation to the Save the Arctic campaign now.

Greenpeace doesn’t take money from governments, corporations, or political parties - just amazing people like you who care about the environment. That’s how you know your gift will be used wisely to protect our world and succeed in our people-powered campaigns.

When we win this, it will be because of you.

With thanks,
The Polar Bear Elder Community

Greenpeace International
Ottho Heldringstraat 5, 1066 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands

I think that this environmental advocacy campaign is effective because it goes beyond signing a petition.  By giving people the responsibility of taking care of a virtual polar bear, it allows people to develop a sentimental attachment to the save the arctic program.  The campaign identifies the impact that burning oil and drilling for oil has on the arctic. I think it is important to explicitly identify what is happening to the arctic because society is geographically distanced from it and therefore this issue may not resonate with people.

 

 

Save the Arctic campaign: http://savethearctic.org/en?referer=9360315