A Chat with Our Community Equity Partner from the Thrive Indianapolis Planning Process

Whenever we approach a new planning project, one of the first items on my to-do list -- even at the proposal stage -- is to find “The Kheprw Institute of this community.”

What does that mean? And why is it so hard?

We dive into a bit of that in my latest Sustainability Action Series (SAS Talk) podcast, but the key is “equitable engagement.” That’s the cornerstone of KLA’s approach to climate, sustainability and climate action planning processes. We work with clients to go beyond the usual suspects and to identify and break down the barriers that have long silenced the voices of the most vulnerable in the community. And the most effective way to accomplish that is by partnering with community-based organizations who have established trusted relationships on the ground and can represent and reach the voices you need to hear.

And that's what I talk with Imhotep Adisa of The Kheprw Institute in Indianapolis about in our latest podcast. 

Video: Why it’s important and how to do it on any budget

Cities, towns and counties of all sizes should incorporate video in their climate action, sustainability and resilience work. Why?

• About 82% of internet traffic this year is expected to be video.
• If you hear a piece of information, you remember about 10% of it a few days later. If that info is presented in video (so you see *and* hear it), you can remember 65%. 
• Video is shared 12 times more than text and images – and 92% of mobile users share videos. 

If you want community members to take a survey, come to a meeting, know about a program or take some action, video might just be the ticket!

So you've read our "Yes, Your Climate Action Plan Needs a Brand" post, and we convinced you of the value of investing in intentional branding and messaging at the very start of your planning process? Good stuff.  

Nike’s Swoosh. The classic Apple symbol. The World Wildlife Fund panda. Target’s bullseye. These are all iconic brand logos. When you see them, you know what they represent. And when you hear the following words, you probably know the company or product and something about it: Melts in your mouth, not in your hands (M&Ms); Red Bull gives you wings; Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there; Yes We Can (Obama presidential campaign).

The words and visual identity of these brands carry meaning and clearly communicate the essence of that company or organization – and what they want you to do (buy our products) or think (we should protect that panda).

The same should be true for your work on climate action, resilience and sustainability plans.

Bottom line: you need to be deliberate about the words and images you choose in order to raise awareness of and create buy-in for your climate and sustainability work and move people down the path to taking meaningful action in their lives. Branding is a key ingredient to your long-term success, and you have to embrace it early on and stick with it.

As we welcome in a new year and despite the terrorist event of last week, I am filled with hope and focused on positivity. If there is anything the pandemic should have taught us, it's that humans are intricately connected to each other and to all life on this planet. We must stop this idea that humans must dominate all other living species and rather embrace a reality where we live in harmony with each other and with all species on this planet.

When I recently had rare wildlife sightings in my Boston winter backyard, I was moved to put some thoughts together that I've shared in this video -- or just keep reading.

Communities large and small are grappling with the COVID pandemic and civil unrest related to police violence. Deep, historical inequities have been laid bare. Once again, our most marginalized neighbors are bearing the heaviest burden.

 As you contemplate future community engagement -- as part of a planning process (comp, transportation, sustainability, resilience, climate action plan, etc.), piloting a new program, or spreading the word about assistance opportunities -- equity must be at the core of your approach. Your RFP can help set that expectation and ensure you get more than checking the box style engagement. 

"Integrating Equitable Engagement Into Your RFP Process" is a cheat sheet for local governments to set clear expectations for, ask the right questions of and effectively evaluate consultants on the ability to deliver equitable community engagement.

Here at KLA, we love to show off our clients’ accomplishments. And this year we really mean SHOW off.

In 2020 we produced 9 videos (with more in the works) that showcase their climate action and resilience initiatives -- highly effective tools for community outreach. These clients – Beverly and Salem (joint Resilient Together initiative), Concord, Dedham, Devens, Watertown and Weston all in MA – are using these videos to engage people in their planning processes, launch their final plan, and encourage people to be part of the solution as the plan moves into implementation. An additional three clients – Columbia, MO, Encinitas, CA, and San Antonio, TX – have new :30 videos (optimal for social media and embedding on websites and in emails) to promote their climate and sustainability websites.

Why was video a key part of our work on these projects? As a visual species, humans find videos more engaging, more memorable, and more popular than any other type of content out there. Video is an incredibly strong tool for storytelling and information retention. In fact, viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to 10% when reading it in text.

Take a look at these 9 short videos to see the power of video in action. We break down unique features and format for each along with why we took the approach we did.

In a sign of how busy we have been at KLA even before the stress of COVID, we are just now able to share with you a conversation I had in late 2019 -- seems like eons go! But, like it or not, the topic of waste reduction is just as relevant today. 

Indeed, from grappling with changes in the recycling industry to setting ambitious Zero Waste goals, local governments have to grapple with the realities of waste processing -- not to mention the increasing amount of waste we're generating -- even as they pursue waste reduction strategies. 

Which is why I'm excited for you to listen to my SAS Talk with Kim podcast with Dona Neely of the Eco Efficiency Center in Devens, MA. They run The Great Exchange which keeps about 50 tons of material out of the landfill every year while supporting local businesses, nonprofits and schools.