Building Demand for Green from the Ground Up

Clean Currents just wrapped up our first Green Neighborhood Challenge (GNEC) and we’re launching right into GNEC 2 without missing a beat! Our experience and the response we got in GNEC 1 has taught us that we have tapped into something powerful in the public consciousness. People are looking for connections, commitment and financial help for their communities. Clean Currents is looking to build demand for green energy solutions from the ground up. Enter GNEC, which steps into the void left by antiseptic corporate marketing, social disconnect, lack of resources, and lack of meaningful national government action on the biggest environmental challenge of our generation – global climate change. Marketing from the ground up, meeting people where they are rather than where you (the company) are, is the essence of GNEC.

Connections

The premise of GNEC is that Clean Currents provides an organizing tool (wind power for homes and solar), which allows people of various communities to connect with each other, build stronger community bonds, and strengthen community spirit. By “community,” we mean any grouping of people who share a commonality. This could be a neighborhood, a town, a faith institution, a non profit group, a school, a union, a bridge club. In simple terms, we give community leaders something to talk about. In an ideal GNEC situation, there would be multiple social events (especially parties!), outward signs of participations in the community (lawn signs, etc.) and participation by a strong, core group of volunteers. This includes online social media.

Commitment

For GNEC 2 to succeed, we need to build beyond the focus of GNEC 1. We need to continue to push the message about people switching to wind or solar power for their homes. But we also need to translate into actions our words about Clean Currents being “a front door to a sustainable lifestyle.” This means that wind power for homes or solar installation is merely the hook to get people talking about a larger conversation. That larger conversation is centered on the need to reduce our environmental impact, improve the laws in our states and this nation, and changing some of our habits as consumers. Clean Currents is committed to helping pass positive environmental legislation that puts a price on carbon emissions and mandates reductions in greenhouse gases. If you sign up your community for GNEC 2, we are committed to bringing our partners and allies to your community, to help educate people about reducing their environmental impact. This includes recycling, composting, energy efficiency, car sharing, and a host of other ways to lead a more sustainable life. Finally, Clean Currents wants to help consumers learn about the many companies out there that offer green products, and more importantly, that operate as sustainable companies. It’s vital that consumers vote with their wallets by supporting businesses that are doing the right thing.

Financial Help

The financial component of GNEC should not be under valued. Clean Currents is providing real dollars to communities to help them pursue green projects or to support green advocacy/education groups. In GNEC 1, we will be donating more than $15,000 in total. For GNEC 2, we want to double that. Individual consumers should also see financial incentives for participation. Thus, Clean Currents offers reduced prices on solar installations for customers that are already wind powered. It’s kind of like a co-op, where communities band together to achieve better pricing for individual members of the community.

Conclusion

We at Clean Currents are only just scratching the surface on community level marketing right now, but already I can tell there is something powerful there. We are not perfect, and are learning from our mistakes along the way. However, by working with community leaders and getting real feedback from people we can build a powerful community of people, businesses, and other groups working to create demand for clean energy from the ground up.