Change is hard—especially change at the scale you are promoting. It’s easy for people to get discouraged, which means you need to offer clear evidence of the benefits of acting now.
Benefits can come in various forms:
- Enhanced reputations for leading businesses
- Immediate financial savings associated with saving energy, water and other resources
- Improved air quality, reduced asthma rates and other public health metrics
- Pride of place and your community’s increased appeal to new residents and businesses, due to your leadership on climate change
A community’s first climate action plan should highlight benefits associated with past investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy or fleet modernization efforts. Talk about how local government saved thousands of dollars after upgrading equipment at city hall. And encourage residents and business leaders to share their successes with you, so that you can talk those up in the community as well.
Identifying the benefits associated with action helps to affirm that your community is on the right path, the smart path, to future prosperity.