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Date
This is the second in the series by guest poster Sarah Shahmohammad.
Sustainability Communication Needs a Makeover
If I’ve learned anything from working in an environment where sustainability is practically non-existent, it’s that the way we talk about it can make or break its impact - whether it gets attention and has influence - or, like the image above - sounds like blah blah blah blah.
Living in Iran—a place that would probably never come to mind when you think of sustainable management—has made this journey particularly interesting for me. Not just for the lack of sustainable infrastructure, but because even the very concept of sustainability is so foreign, so removed from daily life or from professional prospects and possibilities.
For a long time, I was interested in nature, but I didn’t even have the right language for it. I didn’t know sustainability could be an actual career path. I didn’t know that I could combine my skills and interests with something that aligned with my values. I wanted to work in a way that had a real impact—but the only visible option was to become a ranger.
(And honestly, I’m too lazy for that.)
Figuring out that sustainability was a field, something real that people worked on, was one battle. Finding the resources, institutions, courses, and networks to move forward in it, a whole other one. But then, even once I pushed through all of that, there was yet another challenge—finding people to actually talk to about it.
At first, I thought the problem was just a lack of infrastructure. Then I thought it was a lack of education. But over time, I realized the biggest barrier wasn’t what people didn’t know—it was how sustainability was being presented. People weren’t rejecting the ideas because they disagreed; they were rejecting them because they weren’t connecting. And that meant the problem wasn’t just sustainability—it was communication.
That’s why learning how to communicate is one of the most important tools a sustainability professional can have.
Over the years, I’ve learned a few things about what makes sustainability messaging stick—and what makes people tune out completely. Here are some of the most important lessons (see infographic we created "Making Sustainability Stick" below):
- It Has to Be Personal – People connect with things that feel relevant to them. The more something looks like me, affects me, benefits me, or threatens me, the more I’ll care.
- It Has to Be Tangible – Huge numbers and statistics don’t always hit emotionally. People need real-life, relatable examples to understand impact.
- It Can’t Be Emotionally Exhausting – Doomscrolling already has people overwhelmed. Fear-based messaging only works when it’s balanced with agency.
- Think Stories, Not Just Facts – Humans think in narratives. Sustainability must be a compelling story, not just a technical issue.
- Make It Visual – People process images faster than words. A good diagram or before-and-after image does more than paragraphs of explanation.
- Don’t Tell People What to Do—Make Them Curious – Instead of rigid rules, invite people into a smarter, better way of doing things.
- Give Them Hope – Sustainability isn’t a solved equation. It’s a journey toward something better, and we need as many people on board as possible.
- Use Nonviolent Communication – Fear triggers defensiveness. A compassionate, practical approach works better than aggressive messaging.
The future of sustainability depends on how well we communicate it. If we can master that, we’re no longer just dreaming of a sustainable world—we’re making it real.
Posted
by
Richard Maltzman
on: March 28, 2025 01:11 PM |
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