Improving Our Outreach SkillsOctober 22, 2014

Margaret Enloe, Communications DirectorChesapeake Bay Program

Steve Raabe, PresidentOpinionWorks, LLC

Improving Our Outreach SkillsObjectives

• Understand the Howard County Public– Perceptions– Audiences

• Recognize What Makes for Effective Public Outreach• Employ Active Listening• Acquire Tools to Successfully Engage Communities• Use the Power of Storytelling

Improving Our Outreach SkillsOpinionWorks Credentials

• Measure perceptions, behaviors• Random samples, focus groups

– Chesapeake Bay Trust• Extensive work assessing public behavior

– District Department of the Environment• Resident/business reaction to 5-cent bag fee

– Johns Hopkins Health & Partners• Complex study on behavior health risk factors

– West Virginia Department of Health• Barriers to healthy pregnancy program for Medicaid-eligible

– Maryland Citizens Health Initiative• How to discuss the Federal hospital payment waiver

– The Baltimore Sun newspaper (2007-present)

Understanding Howard County

Not sure

Wrong track

Right direction

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

3%

38%

59%

7%

48%

44%

State Howard

Understanding Howard CountyHoward County is Happier

“In general, would you say things in Maryland are heading the right direction or are they off on the wrong track?” (Oct 2014)

Neither/Both/Not sure

Hogan position

Brown position

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

19%

34%

48%

9%

45%

46%

State Howard

Understanding Howard CountyHoward County is Less Tax Averse

“Regardless of whom you plan to support, which of these positions on taxes comes closest to your own view?Larry Hogan says that it is critical that the state significantly cut taxes to improve its business climate and create jobs.Anthony Brown says taxes provide the means to invest in education, public safety, the environment, and health care.”

(Oct 2014)

Not sure

1 (Not at all)

2

3 (Average)

4

5 (Strong)

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

0.05

0.09

0.39

0.27

0.19

2%

7%

5%

47%

23%

17%

State Howard

Understanding Howard CountyHoward Co. is Environmentally-Minded

“On a scale of 1 to 5 where 5 is a strong environmentalist, 3 is average, and 1 is not an environmentalist at all, where would you put yourself?” (Oct 2014)

State Avg: 3.39Howard Avg: 3.60*

*Highest in state among major jurisdictions

Very Serious

Somewhat Serious Total

Water pollution in rivers, streams, Chesapeake Bay 64% 27% 91%Loss of natural habitat, such as wetlands and forests 52% 30% 82%Air pollution 38% 39% 77%Sprawl or poorly planned growth and development 30% 43% 73%Contaminants in your drinking water or food 45% 24% 69%Global warming or climate change 37% 28% 65%Landfills, incinerators, hazardous waste sites in or near your neighborhood 28% 23% 51%Lead paint or other toxins in your home 29% 11% 40%

“Do you consider each of the following to be a very serious problem, somewhat serious problem, not much of a problem, or not a problem at all?”

Understanding Howard CountyTop Environmental Concerns

Statewide

Very Serious

Somewhat Serious Total

Water pollution in rivers, streams, Chesapeake Bay 78% 18% 96%Loss of natural habitat, such as wetlands and forests 56% 36% 93%Air pollution 36% 36% 72%Sprawl or poorly planned growth and development 18% 46% 64%Contaminants in your drinking water or food 48% 16% 64%Global warming or climate change 38% 32% 69%Landfills, incinerators, hazardous waste sites in or near your neighborhood 17% 29% 47%Lead paint or other toxins in your home 23% 3% 26%

“Do you consider each of the following to be a very serious problem, somewhat serious problem, not much of a problem, or not a problem at all?” (Dec 2010)

Understanding Howard CountyTop Environmental Concerns

Howard County

Engaging the Public in Stewardship Can Water Pollution be Fixed?

77%

18%

Yes, Can be fixedToo difficultNot sure

“When you think about pollution in our local waters, do you think the problem can be fixed or is it too difficult?”

The Key to Engagement and Behavior Change

Not sure

Less interested

Just as interested

More interested

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

2%

2%

44%

52%

2%

9%

40%

49%

State Howard

Understanding Howard CountyNo Chesapeake Bay Fatigue

“Compared to a few years ago, would you say you are (rotate): [more interested, less interested, (or) just as interested] today in hearing about the health of the Chesapeake Bay?” (Dec 2010)

“If I knew what to do to help clean up local waters,

I would do a lot more.”

What Drives This Concern

and Good Intention?

Frequently Occasionally Total

Picnic or walk in a public park or neighborhood 49% 36% 85%

Garden at home or in a community garden 43% 30% 73%

Eat fish or seafood out of the Bay or local rivers 25% 43% 68%

Bird watch 24% 23% 47%

Fish or crab* 16% 17% 33%

Canoe, kayak, sail, or power boat* 9% 22% 31%

Hike or camp in an undeveloped area 7% 21% 28%

Swim in any natural waters besides the ocean* 7% 18% 25%

Hunt 2% 6% 8%

*Frequent water contact 20%

*Frequent or occasional water contact 49%

“Please tell me how often you do any of these things using the scalefrequently, occasionally, rarely, or never.” (Dec 2010)

Engaging the Public in StewardshipContact with the Outdoors & Water?

Howard County

• Real answer: 100%• Respondents:

42% Yes22% No, Live outside it35% I Don’t Know

“Do you live in the Potomac River watershed, live outside of it, or don’t you know for sure?”

58% Uncertain or Wrong.

Alice Ferguson FoundationPotomac Watershed Survey

Jan. 2008

Do you live in the Potomac River Watershed?

Engaging the Public in Stewardship Technical Knowledge?

Not sure

No

Yes

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

17%

66%

17%

“Do you live in a watershed?” (If yes): “Which one?” (Dec 2010)

11% can name their watershed.

Engaging the Public in Stewardship Do You Live in a Watershed?

Howard County

• Tying water quality to personal health is often the most compelling approach.

• Contaminated drinking water, seafood, swimming.

• Polluted beaches and intersex fish.• Perception is reality.• We must speak to people’s self

interest.• Altruistic appeals for environment far

less motivating.

Engaging the Public in Stewardship Self-Interest Motivates

• We need to share good news!• We need to show tangible progress!

Engaging the Public in Stewardship Good News. Bad News.

Influencing Behavior

Credit: Nancy R. Lee, University of Washington & Puget Sound PartnershipAdapted from Everett Rogers, Jay Kassirer, Mike Rothschild, Dave Ward, Kristen Cooley

Resistant16%

Credit: Nancy R. Lee, University of Washington & Puget Sound PartnershipAdapted from Everett Rogers, Jay Kassirer, Mike Rothschild, Dave Ward, Kristen Cooley

Influencing BehaviorChoosing the Right Behavior

1. Choose the Right Behavior

Impact of the Behavior on Water Quality

x

Penetration (Level of Adoption) in the Community

x

Likelihood the Public will Adopt the Behavior

Targeting BMPs & Knowing Your AudienceAn Innovative Tool to Measure Behaviors

www.BaySurvey.org

• Link stewardship actions directly to a problem.

Influencing BehaviorShow Me What I Can Do

Influencing BehaviorShow Me What I Can Do

• One or two actions, not 10!

Too many choices = Overwhelmed Too many choices = Inaction

• Show the “five dollar action” the average person can take, not just costly actions.

What Have We Learned?

Case Study in Understanding Public Attitudes:Stormwater Fee

Stormwater FeeFocus Group Method

4 Locations– Baltimore City– Frederick/Carroll– Baltimore County– Prince George’s

120-minute sessions, professionally facilitatedTested:

1. Attitudes, Perceptions2. Expectations, Barriers3. Words, Messages

Crabs and fish are made less safe to eat by contaminants that flow

into our local waters.

Stormwater FeeHealth of Seafood

The federal government is requiring scientific testing of water quality to make sure actual progress is being made.

Stormwater FeeTesting for Results

The new fee will plant trees in neighborhoods and create

beautiful new rain gardens and green spaces that local communities can enjoy.

Stormwater FeeGreen Stuff

The State will never get its hands on this stormwater fee money. All

the money collected locally will stay local.

Stormwater FeeLocal Control

Stormwater FeeMeeting the Public’s Concern

1. A fee with a mission• Addresses a broadly-held public priority

2. Outcomes-oriented• Will produce results you can see (like green stuff)

3. Locally controlled• All the money will stay in the jurisdiction

4. Accountable• Higher levels of gov’t hold the local jurisdiction accountable

5. Measurable• Scientifically monitored

6. Firewalled• Difficult to raid

Active Listening