Climate Showcase Communities
   Local Climate and Energy Program
                                Effective Practices for Implementing Local
                                Climate and Energy Programs:
                                Working Across Ideological Differences
 Lessons Learned by Communities for Communities
 The views expressed in this document are those of the Climate Showcase Communities grant recipients. U.S. EPA does not endorse any
 products or commercial services mentioned.
WHAT IS IT?
Within communities, people have varying views when it comes to climate change. Many
communities have found ways to work across ideological differences and focus on common
values and goals.
WHY DO IT?
•   Broad, diverse support improves project credibility and provides momentum.
•   Bridging differences is important for achieving your goals.
•   Your program or project may serve a diverse constituency. You may need support and
    advocates from a variety of backgrounds.
•   Initial skeptics can become your most powerful advocates. Listen to and learn from
    credible, diverse views.

WHAT WORKS?
•   Seek out common values and goals.
•   Listen patiently. Focus on what is driving people's interests and opinions, and address
    their priorities.
•   Draw on people from the ideological groups that you are trying to work with to form
    stakeholder groups or advisory boards.
•   Get support from your board, council, committee, or other management body when
    engaging audiences with a wide range of views.

WHAT SHOULD YOU WATCH OUT FOR?
•   Avoid jargon that may not resonate across diverse audiences.
•   Provide opportunities for everyone to join the conversation. Enlist good facilitators who
    can give everyone a voice.

WHAT RESOURCES HAVE  PROJECTS FOUND TO BE USEFUL?
•   Barrett Values Centre—Tools to help identify  common values: www.valuescentre.com
•   Moral Ground: Ethical Action for a Planet in Peril—Book and website on moral issues
    related to climate change: moralground.com
ŁEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
                                        April 2015
                                                                "You get an 'ah-ha!'
                                                                moment when you find
                                                                common ground!"

                                                                Sam, Central New York Climate
                                                                Change Innovation Program,
                                                                Central New York Regional
                                                                Planning and Development
                                                                Board
                                                                "We can't build showcase
                                                                communities without
                                                                working across ideological
                                                                differences."

                                                                Carly, Energize Corvallis, Oregon

                                                                "Don't get too technical
                                                                about greenhouse gas
                                                                accounting with the wrong
                                                                audience. (Hint: Almost no
                                                                one is the right audience in
                                                                many municipalities.)"
                                                                Emily,  Red and Blue and Green
                                                                All Over, Cary, North Carolina
EPA-430-F-15-005

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