Message
Consider what pro-environmental communication you wish to shape and who you direct it to. How is this topic addressed in your institution? Do you wish to emphasise particular elements? Perhaps you are primarily concerned with building engagement and shaping a message which strengthens community and agency (“together we can do more”), which is based on positive emotions and an invitation to act. Or is it a call to action, emphasising urgency (“there is no planet B”), calling to take specific action. Perhaps you want to focus on promoting the culture of moderation (“enough is enough”) and encouraging reduction of consumption and reusing existing resources. Perhaps you wish to emphasise the need to build a sustainable relationship with nature (“interspecies community”). Or perhaps you are mostly concerned with building your institution’s brand (“as an institution, we want to be an environmentally friendly place”). Although these approaches may overlap, it is worth deciding which message best reflects the nature and objectives of your institution. It is important that it is a permanent and consistent element of your communication strategy, present in all your activities.

> Read more: Storytelling – pro-environmental communication, source: LinkedIn.

Ethics of communication
Greenwashing (green sheen) is the deceptive practice of creating the appearance of conducting pro-environmental activities for marketing purposes, without any real changes. This mainly applies to companies which want to increase sales by using key words such as ‘eco’ or ‘bio’, even though their products do not meet the standards. Drawing on these experiences, as a cultural institution avoid exaggerated, unsubstantiated claims in your communications. The key is honesty, being specific, and the relevance to the scale of change. Messages such as “This is just the beginning” and “We are learning together with you” build trust and demonstrate authenticity. Instead of vague statements such as “we are eco-friendly”, use specific examples: “we reduce plastic”, “we collect rainwater”, “we recycle materials from previous exhibitions”, “we run an environmental education programme for children”, etc. Show the journey, not just the end result – instead of “We print ecologically,” write “This year, we reduced the number of leaflets by 30%.”

> Read more: The Do’s and Don’ts for Green Marketing Strategies, source: Regreener.

Ethics of advertising
When selecting advertising partners, pay attention to the consistency their values have with yours, especially in the context of ideas that guide individual platforms and media. It is worth cooperating with media which are credible, ethical and consistent with the principles of sustainable development. Avoid cooperating with entities which engage in greenwashing or promote excessive consumption. Support local and independent media. Working with partners who are open to audits and regular verification of their activities will help you build an authentic and responsible image.

How to talk about climate?
Language shapes awareness and influences the character of public debate. In recent years, reference to the climate crisis has been increasingly postulated in stronger and more precise terms – instead of ‘climate change’ it is better to use terms such as ‘climate crisis’ and ‘climate catastrophe’. Such language emphasises the urgency of the situation and the need to act – this shift was initiated by The Guardian in 2019.

However, caution is needed – overly alarmist messages about the climate, combined with the experiences of the pandemic, war and ongoing social crises, can be discouraging. As recent studies show, faced with a growing number of challenges, many people feel overwhelmed and helpless, which weakens their commitment and can lead to withdrawal. That is why it is important to combine messages about the threat with a narrative of hope and agency. Effective climate communication not only warns, but also gives a sense of influence and shows possible solutions.
Here are some key communication tips:

1. Avoid exaggeration. Excessively dramatic language may be discouraging. Stick to the facts and address the issue with sensitivity, taking into account the current context of multiple crises.
2. Speak with hope. Demonstrate that change is possible. People want to see the point in doing something.
3. Use simple language. Avoid jargon. Give examples from everyday life, tell stories.
4. Rely on science. Focus on what is currently known and what can be done about it.
5. Build community, not divisions. Talk, but don’t judge. Try to understand those who are sceptical.
6. Make the topic personal and local. Refer to how the climate crisis affects life ‘here and now’.
7. Balance the emotions. Do not cause panic – focus on care, resilience and joint action.
8. Take care of people’s wellbeing. Pay attention to the needs of employees and the public – this is part of ecological thinking.
9. Harness the power of art and culture. These are effective tools not only for education, but also for expanding the imagination and inspiring action.

> Read about the power of personalising your narrative: Adam Levy: Making Climate Change Personal, source: Biennale Warszawa

> Read the analyses on ‘climate fatigue’, why communication about the climate crisis often fails to translate into action, and how to change this: How do people talk about climate change (not just on Reddit)?, source: Nauka o klimacie. 
From denialism to fatalism: how emotional resignation perpetuates the climate crisis, source: Manifest Klimatyczny – blog. 
Communicating the Climate Crisis, source: ClimateXChange. 
Effective Climate Communication Frames for Nonprofits & Examples that Inspire Action, source: Constructive.

> Climate science is full of specialist terms. Use climate glossaries that explain difficult terms in a simple way. 
The Climate Dictionary. Speak Climate Fluently, source: UNDP. 
Climate and environmental dictionary. 400 terms from various scientific disciplines, source: Jasikowska, K., Pałasz, M. (ed.) (2022), Five minutes to midnight: the end of the world. The climate and ecological crisis according to various scientific disciplines

> Fun and audience engagement are great tools in promotional activities. Find out about the high-profile Piano Stairs campaign, which encouraged passengers to use traditional stairs instead of escalators: Piano Stairs. From Movement to Mozart, source: Design of the World. Read about the campaign by the fanSHEN theatre (currently Fast Familiar), which promoted its performance by inviting the audience to exercise on machines which converted movement into energy. The charged batteries powered the performance, and those who exercised received discounts on tickets, depending on the amount of energy generated: Powering Theatre, Conceptualising Energy, source: Pedalling Power.

Ecology tab 
Create a separate tab on your organisation’s website dedicated to pro-ecological activities. It can take various forms – from information about the green team, an overview of selected initiatives, to a presentation of the organisation’s pro-environmental manifesto. The tab should be updated as activities develop. This will signal to people involved in culture – especially the blue-green audience (i.e. those interested in climate issues) – that environmental issues are an important and permanent part of your activities.

Check examples of eco-friendly tabs on the websites of cultural institutions and organisations:
> Zamek dla Klimatu (ZAMEK for climate), Centrum Kultury Zamek/ Poznań.
> Służewski Dom Kultury jako ekologiczne gospodarstwo (Służew Cultural Centre as an eco-friendly farm), SDK/ Warszawa.
> Teatr w służbie ekologii (Theatre in the service of ecology), Teatr Chorea/ Łódź.