Framing Climate Change Action Now: Advice, Slogans, & the "Necessity" Frame

Framing Climate Change Action Now: Advice, Slogans, & the "Necessity" Frame

by Susan C. Strong

Right now many people are preparing for the People's Climate March, in New York or in many locations around the country. So I'm getting requests for slogan ideas for signs and other demonstration pr. Below are three items that can give folks some ideas about what to say on signs and other demonstration media. 1. The first is a general suggestion to visit The Metaphor Project site, with directions for finding relevant articles I've written about framing climate change for the general public. 2. The second is a list of slogans I've generated for the March next week. 3. The third is a link to what I think is a very significant development in framing the issue: the "necessity" defense which emerged today in reports of a decision re two climate change activists who blocked a coal shipment from unloading in Massachusetts near the border with Rhode Island.

l. There are currently three articles of mine on the topic of framing climate change for the public on our home page at http://www.metaphorproject.org at the very bottom, under Articles. Folks can also check my older posts on the topic of climate change framing, listed in the Examples archive, under Environmental Sustainability.

2. I also just generated a list of actual slogans, and they are pasted in below. They are just samples that show how to tinker and modify until you get what you want. The most important rule of thumb is this: say it out loud before you write it down on a sign. If it sounds clunky, tweak it until it has rhythm and sounds "cool." The inner ear can hear the clunk, even if the slogan is just written down!

Climate Safety Now!
Climate Safety First!
Climate Safety Fast!
Our Earth needs a fast move--to climate safety!
Our Earth needs a fast move--to green energy!
Earth needs a fast move--to green energy!
Let's make a fast move--to green energy!
Let's move fast to green energy!
Green energy now! Before it's too late! (this tag could be added to any of them).
Make cool rules the Earth can live by!
Make cool climate rules!
Make cool-the-earth rules!
Stop carbon pollution!
Stop the carbon pollution!
Stop carbon pollution all over this earth!
Meet the climate challenge now!
Stop the methane monster now! Before it's too late!

3. Here is the link to the VIP "necessity defense" article: http://readersupportednews.org/.... It's already on my Twitter page (@SusanCStrong), but we need to make it go viral, because this is the most important new climate change frame in a long time. Every climate change activist should know this frame and the example of its first use.
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Susan C. Strong, Ph.D., is the Founder and Executive Director of The Metaphor Project,http://www.metaphorproject.org, and author of our new book, Move Our Message: How to Get America's Ear. The Metaphor Project has been helping progressives mainstream their messages since 1997. Follow Susan on Twitter @SusanCStrong.