Clean Energy Canada has commissioned, analyzed, and collaborated on an extensive amount of public opinion research over the past decade, ranging from polling to focus groups. Based on our interpretation of this research and our experience both in the media and online, we offer the following advice when communicating clean energy solutions to the public.
- Know what your key messages are and get to them quickly. Remember that attention is limited, and time is seldom on your side. Don’t lead with your opponent’s argument, and don’t be defensive when you can be offensive.
- Focus on the benefits of clean technologies alongside the too-easily-forgotten drawbacks of fossil fuel alternatives. The status quo is often given a pass, while new technologies are anecdotally scrutinized. Case in point: gas cars are 20 to 60 times more likely to catch fire, but an EV fire makes the news.
- Talk about climate action as protecting our way of life, rather than upending it. EVs and heat pumps allow you to travel and live your life comfortably, while climate change is what truly threatens the things we love.
- Prioritize local examples whenever you can, whether it’s a nearby clean energy project or a wildfire that impacted a particular town last summer. Humans are social animals. We tend to think about our communities first and foremost.
- Meet people where they’re at. Not everyone is in a position to buy an EV tomorrow, even if it would save them money in the long run. Use phrases like “when you’re ready.”
Clean Energy Canada has cultivated a language guide over the years, informed by polling, focus groups, and analysis. While different words are more or less effective with different demographics, the following phrases are recommended for general use.
| DO USE | DON’T USE |
| Sustainable economy | Green economy, circular economy, low-carbon economy |
| Clean energy sector | green energy sector |
| Clean energy, renewable energy | Green energy, alternative energy |
| Fossil fuels, oil and gas | Energy sector, natural resources |
| Transition (diversification when speaking in Alberta or Saskatchewan) | Revolution or language that implies rapid or disruptive change |
| Electric vehicles | Zero-emission vehicles |
| A responsible transition | A just transition |
| A climate and energy transition plan | A green new deal |
| Peace of mind, protect, safeguard | Bold, radical, ambitious |
| Reliable, dependable | New, alternative |