Earth Day Network Organizer's Guide 2009

Earth Day Network is the nonnon-profit organization that grew out of the original Earth Day in 1970. Earth Day Network supports and coordinates thousands thousands of Earth Day events worldwide each year. Earth Day, April 22, is the the largest secular holiday in the world, celebrated by more than a billion people. Earth Day Network seeks to grow and diversify the environmental movement worldwide, and to mobilize it as the most effective vehicle for promoting a healthy, sustainable planet. We pursue our mission through education, education, politics, events, and consumer activism. EDN's international network reaches over 17,000 organizations in 174 countries. This Organizer’ Organizer’s Guide will give you all the information you need to plan an Earth Day event in your local community, get involved with our organization, organization, and help us protect the environment and fight climate change. For more information about Earth Day, including how you can participate participate and register your events, please visit www.earthday.net. www.earthday.net. Earth Day Network grants any Earth Day organizer the right to reproduce reproduce this guide free of charge for purposes that support the mission and values values of Earth Day Network, provided acknowledgement of Earth Day Network is included. included. CONTACT US: Earth Day Network www.earthday.net 1616 P Street, NW, Suite 340 Washington, DC 20036 Tel: 1-202-518-0044 Fax: 1-202-518-8794 Email: [email protected]

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"For more information about Earth Day, including how you can participate and register your events, please visit www.earthday.net." Mickenberg, 11/24/2008

Table of Contents Earth Day In Brief When is Earth Day A brief history of Earth Day Earth Day is Every Day Make a difference Together, we are stronger Success stories

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Getting Started: So you’ve decided to organize an event Explore ideas for the event Consider mission and message Create an organizational structure Develop a strategy Improve communication and build capacity

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The Big Step: Organizing your Earth Day event Planning for the event Considerations for mass events More tips for Earth Day

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Step out: Inform policymakers Get policymakers to spread the word Influence your legislator

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Working with Volunteers Finding volunteers Extending an invitation Meeting with volunteers Signing up volunteers Establishing committees The importance of specific assignments Empowering your volunteers Developing a timetable Keeping track…Be accountable!

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Raising Money Creating a budget Types of financial support Should you incorporate? A final word on fundraising

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Working with the Media Getting press coverage of your message through earned media Message What to give the media Setting up your media program Event coverage, step by step Additional communications opportunities

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Congratulations! You are an Earth Day Organizer

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Earth Day is the only event celebrated simultaneously around the globe by people of all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities. More than a billion people participate in Earth Day activities each year.

When is Earth Day? The official date of Earth Day is April 22nd; however, Earth Day events are often scheduled on the weekends before or after Earth Day. Additionally, many people celebrate Earth Week, the week surrounding April 22nd, or Earth Month – the entire month of April. Regardless of when you hold your celebration, remember that Earth Day is Every Day for Everybody.

A brief history of Earth Day Earth Day, April 22, 1970 signified the birth of the modern environmental movement in the United States. Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a senator from Wisconsin, recalls his motivation for proposing the first nationwide environmental protest: "The objective was to organize a national demonstration of concern for the environment so large that it would shake up the political establishment and force this issue onto the national agenda. It was a gamble, but it worked.” At the time, Americans were powering their vehicles with leaded gasoline. Growing industries belched out smoke and sludge with little fear of legal consequences or bad press. Air pollution was commonly accepted as the price of prosperity. Earth Day turned all that around.

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On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate on behalf of a healthy, sustainable environment. Denis Hayes, the national coordinator, and his youthful staff organized massive coast-to-coast rallies. Thousands of colleges and universities held protests against the degradation of the environment. Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, raw sewage, toxic dumps, heavily polluting factories and power plants, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values. "Conservatives were for it. Liberals were for it. Democrats, Republicans and Independents were for it. So were the ins, the outs, the Executive and Legislative branches of government." (New York Times) Earth Day achieved a rare political alignment, enlisting support from both major political parties, rich and poor, urban dwellers and farmers, businesses and labor leaders. The first Earth Day led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the passage of the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act. In 1990, Earth Day went global, with 200 million people from 141 nations participating. Thousands of activities took place worldwide, including demonstrations, tree plantings, river clean-ups, cultural events and government-sponsored initiatives. This international groundswell of concern for the environment elevated the status of environmental issues on the world stage and led many governments to create agencies for environmental protection.

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EARTH DAY IS EVERY DAY - 100 POSITIVE THINGS TO DO “Many of us have heard the phrase, EARTH DAY EVERY DAY. But what does it mean? Does it take anything away from Earth Day itself? Does it mean that we celebrate the Earth every day, the way we do on April 22nd, by holding special events, festivals, concerts, tree plantings, etc.? Paul Coleman Since 1990, I have walked 45,000 kilometers through 39 nations planting trees and spreading a message about the beauty of the earth and why we need to preserve the natural environment that we all need to exist. I have had a long involvement with Earth Day. Because of my journey, millions of trees have been planted and many people have been inspired to action. Presently I am walking through China, from Hong Kong to Beijing on the 'Greening the Olympics, Greening The Earth Walk.' Since 1994, I have been an Ambassador to the 'Cultures of Peace' UN Peace Messenger Initiative, am an advisor to Pathways to Peace and the Charity Ambassador of The Living Rainforest, a UK based institution.

Earth Day Every Day does not take away from the celebration of Earth Day on April 22nd. It is around this day that people can come together, united, to protect and appreciate the Earth. Practicing Earth Day Every Day by making simple changes in your lifestyle can have a significant impact on the environment. Over the course of the next few months, from now until April 22nd, I aim to show at least one hundred actions I have taken during this period to help make this world a better place. By doing this I hope to show the countless little things that we can do, and often do without even realizing it, to keep our beautiful planet in a state that will support life for a long time to come. The tiny little things we do in our lives, like refusing a plastic bag in a grocery store for example, are day to day environmental success stories that can fill us with energy and a sense of wellbeing. Doing those simple little daily things that make the Earth a better place for all is living EARTH DAY EVERY DAY. It is when we each begin to live our environmental lives to the fullest that we will begin to change the state of this planet for the good. What am I going to do on Earth Day? At this moment I don't know. Perhaps I'll go to an event that someone else has organized, show my support for a movement, plant a tree or just simply lie on the ground and say 'Thank you Earth and thank you for all those wonderful folks around the world who are making this day so special.‘” Paul Coleman’s edited comments from www.network.earthday.net

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Make a difference Earth Day is now widely celebrated around the world as a collective expression of public will to create a sustainable society. Earth Day activities educate and mobilize people worldwide to protect and appreciate the environment, rekindling public commitment and involvement in this endeavor across all social sectors. Countries, citizen groups, local governments, businesses, neighborhoods, schools, college campuses, and faith-based groups participate. Individual and collective choices that reflect environmental values and broaden public support result in sweeping changes. Earth Day helps expand and strengthen networks of community groups. As an annual event bringing people together, Earth Day events inspire changes that bring ongoing benefits to the community.

Together, we are stronger The strength of Earth Day is the diversity of people participating from different communities worldwide. In our experience, the best events are those in which organizers team up with others and take input from all players involved. Don’t try to organize your event alone—that is the direct route to burnout. Instead, encourage others to take leadership roles and delegate activities. Share the excitement and fun with others and you will create an Earth Day event where the enthusiasm is contagious.

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SUCCESS STORIES What happened last year? For Earth Day 2008, hundreds of thousands of people around the world attended events under the Call for Climate theme, generating millions of calls to legislators and governments demanding a moratorium on coal, investment in renewable energy, building efficiency, and measures to protect the poor and the middle class from unfairly bearing the cost of solving the climate crisis. The Michail Lakatnick Primary school in Bourgas, Bulgaria dedicated an entire week to Earth Day. The school has built an outdoor ecoclassroom to use as an educational tool for the school and community, and is now. One class of fourth graders planted a few varieties of trees around the front of the school. There are plans to build a bush and tree-lined green fence which will protect the school and the children from the noise and the car exhaust. As part of the Call for Climate campaign, The Waste Management Society of Nigeria (WAMASON) Earth Day celebration was intended to inspire awareness of and appreciation for the environment. For Earth Day, WAMASON launched a public-awareness campaign encouraging citizens to stop littering and educating them on sustainable practices. With this celebration we call on all ‘to recognize and respect Earth’s beautiful systems of balance. 8

1.Explore ideas for the event Begin by exploring what is already being planned in your community. Others may have already done the legwork and you might not want to compete with other events! •Check our Global Events Registry to see what events have been planned in your area. •Contact possible partners such as community service organizations, environmental groups, and schools to see if they already have a plan. If there is no plan, organize a kick-off meeting with the above groups to get your event started! Use the meeting to pull together a steering committee and outline what you want out of the Earth Day event.

2. Consider mission and message Earth Day 2009 will officially kick off the Green Generation Campaign , a global initiative to mobilize public action and support for effective climate policies and a strong global agreement; large scale investments in renewable energy; a comprehensive green jobs program; poverty-alleviation measures that are compatible with sustainability, and other public actions that will support a resolution of the climate crisis. This will be our theme this year, and we’d love to have you on board! Should you decide on a theme or goal, state your message clearly so it cannot be distorted. Also, repeat your message at every opportunity, because while you may get tired of relaying the message, others will be hearing it for the first time!

3. Create an organizational structure If you choose to team up with other organizers for your event, consider forming committees to oversee basic functions. Committees might cover the following areas: •Project/event planning – arranging for location, facilities, overall management of event. •Fundraising – soliciting monetary and in-kind donations. 9 •Outreach – creating materials, engaging media and community.

4. Develop a strategy Identify your goals and objectives for the event. How will you achieve them? Will you rely on volunteers or will you hire staff? Which members of the community have a vested interest in your event? Will your campaign make extensive use of paid media or will you try to generate free media by creating local interest? Will your strategy involve forming a new coalition? There are many ways to craft your strategy. Pull together your steering committee and choose an action plan that is best for you.

5. Improve communication and build capacity •Create a contact list with the names, numbers and email addresses of your staff and volunteers. Make this into a database where you can sort the list by committee or involvement to find people useful to particular needs. •Create a list serve and telephone tree to reach key members of your team quickly. •Develop a website that is appropriate to your target audience. Make it informative, interactive and fun. There are a number of free web hosts available and it is likely that one of your volunteers will know at least basic web design. •Offer up-to-date, relevant resources that will make people want to visit your site more than once. Set up an email account where visitors can communicate with you, and don’t forget to answer their emails! •Register your event with Earth Day Network at our Global Events Registry. More than four million people visit our site every year, and many of them are looking for an event to attend! •Take advantage of all the free tools at your reach. Use the power of social networks and video sites like Facebook, MySpace, You Tube, or EDN’s Community Pages to interact with your own group, communicate with different organizers around the world, and spread the word about your event.

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If there is a particular issue concerning your community, be the leader that unites community members to address the problem!

Planning for the event • Host planning meetings. To get things started, invite people who would be interested in helping you to plan your event. Invite your network, local environmental organizations, Parent Teacher Associations, and school environmental clubs. To spread the word, create flyers to post in public places with the date, time, and directions to your planning sessions. Places to hold the meetings could include your home, community center, local coffee shop, or public library. At the meeting, have all participants fill out a sign-up sheet with their name, email, address, and telephone numbers. Ask people to introduce themselves and say what motivated them to come to the meeting. From this you can assess their interests, relate them to your own, and develop your plan for Earth Day. • Find a venue. Identify a location for your Earth Day event. Outdoor public venues such as local parks are ideal, but depending on the nature of your event you may also consider a school or community center. Explore whether or not a permit is required, and submit the paperwork early enough to ensure that the event isn’t held up by administrative problems. • Consider parking availability and access to public transit. Think about how people will get to your event. Is it possible to use public transit? If participants drive, where and how will they park? Finally, will there be bike racks available for bicyclists? If at all possible, find a location that allows people to make use of public transportation, sidewalks, or bike routes to get to and from your event. • Plan the stage. If you have speakers, musical acts or presentations, think about having a stage. How big would it need to be and how would you set it up (podium, speakers, sound equipment)? • Plan for food. Offering food at your event will attract people, and involve local businesses or farmers. Consider offering environmentally conscious items, like local and organic food, as well as vegetarian/vegan options.

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• Provide Information. Invite environmental groups and green businesses to set up booths at your Earth Day event. These booths can be educational displays (teaching about renewable energy, for example), action centers (with computer or phone stations for people to sign petitions or call their members of Congress), or organizational displays, where organizations can spread their cause.

Considerations for mass events 1. Publicity. Don’t forget to publicize your event! Get the word out early and often through every possible medium. (For more on event publicity, see Working with the Media.) 2. Merchandise. Selling or giving away T-shirts, banners, pins and other Earth Day items can both publicize and finance your event. Create your own or order items from the Earth Day Network E-store. 3. Labor. Some jobs require special expertise. For instance, you may want to hire someone to help with the delivery of stage and equipment, or to manage audio controls. 4. Tents. Outdoor events benefit from tents to protect participants from the sun or rain. If you have exhibitors, charge them a fee to cover the cost of tents. 5. Exhibits. Budget money for the creation of interactive displays and activities. These can range from educational exhibits of cardboard with flaps that lift to reveal answers to energy trivia questions, to campaign information to models that display how solar, wind, and hydropower work. Be creative! 6. Exhibit fees. To help cover your production costs, consider charging a realistic exhibit fee. Have one rate for non-profits and another for businesses. Design the fees so that your tents, tables and chairs are covered, with enough money left over to pay for your sound system, portable toilets, and insurance. 7. Tables and chairs. Exhibitors will need tables and chairs. Usually your tent supplier can also provide these for a small additional cost. Build that cost into your exhibitor’s fee. 12

8. Signs and banners. Directional signs to restrooms and activities will be needed in strategic locations. Make them large and easy to read. 9. Sound. Many performers have their own sound systems. If you have presenters or performers, figure out what they plan to use and what you will need to supply. 10. Entertainment/Music. Musicians and speakers often charge reduced or no fees for an Earth Day event. Ask all performers to provide a stage map for microphones and props. This will help you as you plan the stage design. 11. Volunteers. Have lots of volunteers on hand to help you with everything from setting up to cleaning up. Identify them by providing buttons, caps, shirts, or nametags. Providing food and beverages is nice, although not essential if you are strapped for money. (Read on—you’ll find lots of tips in Working with Volunteers.) 12. Security. Volunteers can generally provide good security. If your event is going to be large, look into private security or off-duty police officers to help out. Generally they charge an hourly rate. Make sure that private firms are insured and bonded to assume liability for their staff. (NOTE: If you get the city and/or county to co-sponsor your event, they may be able to provide security for free.) 13. Insurance. Special events may require additional insurance, so be sure to check with the site owner. Acquiring insurance may be as simple as getting an insurance rider on a participating organization’s existing insurance policy, or you may need a one-day special events policy. 14. First aid. Be sure to have at least one complete first aid kit on hand at your Earth Day event. Additionally, make sure that each volunteer knows where the kit is located and how to use it. 15. Portable toilets. These are essential for an outdoor event. You may be able to obtain them free of charge from your local Department of Waste Management. If not, negotiate for a reduced rate.

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16. Cleaning up after your event. Here are some things you can do to make sure your Earth Day event leaves no trace behind: •Have plenty of garbage bags on hand to use for clean-up. •Provide clearly marked recycling bins and establish an on-site recycling center to separate trash from recyclables. Check with your local recycling center to find out what materials they accept and how materials should be sorted. •Assign a special Eco-Team the task of cleaning up any trace of your event. •When serving food at smaller events, consider using donated plates and cups that can be washed, rather than disposables that will get thrown out. If a larger event, look into using compostable utensils and plates. •Remember that cleaning up litter or what you brought is only part of your departure plan. Make sure that any plants uprooted or trod upon are re-planted or re-seeded. Stone or wood paths should be surveyed to ensure that they have not been disturbed.

More tips for Earth Day Focus on our future: Whatever your event is, make sure it has a very strong educational component, paying special attention to children and young people. Make it about solutions to our most pressing environmental challenges, starting with climate change. Work with your school district to organize in-the-classroom activities. Hold a contest: Organize a poster, essay, poetry, T-shirt design, photography, or art contest with an environmental theme like the Green Generation. You will need a central location and a contact person for collecting entries. For poster and essay contests, send notices to schools and youth groups. Your notices should announce the theme, prizes, contest rules, eligibility and deadlines. You can have the awards ceremony at a culminating event and invite local businesses or individuals to donate prizes for different age groups. Educate your community: Help set up an Earth Day exhibit in your local library, school, religious meeting place, city hall or popular public location. Organize a water-quality monitoring activity for a local waterway: Cleaning up litter and testing water samples are excellent ways to learn more about your local environment. Learn more about water issues at the Global Water Network. 14

Create a schoolyard/community garden: Communal gardens bring more green spaces to a community and connect people together and with nature. You can create a wildlife habitat, native flower garden or organic vegetable garden. You can also create a bioremediation field to take toxins out of the soil with natural methods, using sunflowers for example. Create a community green map: A green map highlights all the environmental-related spots in your community, such as parks, recycling centers, farmers’ markets, thrift stores, public transit stations, and stores that sell organic produce and other eco-conscious products. See the Green Map System’s website at www.greenmap.com. March for Parks: The National Parks and Conservation Association created March for Parks in 1990 as a nationwide walking event to benefit America’s parks and open spaces. The event, held annually during Earth Day weekend, educates the public and raises funds for parks. To register a March for Parks event, email [email protected], or visit www.npca.org. Be a smart shopper and clean out your closet: Read the labels on your cleaning supplies, art supplies, and personal care products – are all the ingredients non-toxic? Dangerous chemicals are found in everyday items in your house and school, so choose wisely what you will come in contact with! The National Institute of Health has a product database that can help you learn more; the Environmental Working Group’s chemical index is another great resource to look up ingredients’ safety information. To find safe arts and crafts supplies, go to the Art & Creative Materials Institute. Un-Plug: The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 75% of the electricity used to power electronics such as televisions, computers, and DVD players is consumed while the products are turned off. You can combat this “phantom” electricity use in your home or office by unplugging your electronics when they’re not in use, or by switching off your power strip at the end of the day. Also, if you are purchasing new electronics, such as computers, monitors, copiers, fax machines, or even “Exit” signs, push for items that are Energy Star-certified for products that up to 50% more energy-efficient.

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Go outside! On average, we spend over 90% of our time indoors. Make Earth Day a day to spend some time outside! Explore ways to green the outside of your school, house or building – plant a flower and vegetable garden, taking care to remove harmful invasive species, and planting drought-tolerant, pollinator-friendly plants. You can create an outdoor learning environment ideal for both education and nature appreciation! Show a film. We have a great library full of educational videos at Earth Day TV, and you can show them for free! Host a speaker Give a presentation Go door to door to talk with people and hand out educational materials Present art and cultural performances Produce a TV or video show about environmental issues in your community. We’ll be happy to show it on Earth Day TV!

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Get policymakers to spread the word An inexpensive and effective way to get the ball rolling in any city, county or state is to encourage the governor, mayor, city council, board of supervisors, school district or other official body to issue a public statement about your Earth Day event or campaign. Send officials your proposed proclamation and invite them to discuss it at their next meeting or presentation.

Influence your legislator Arrange a meeting: • Consider meeting with your governor, mayor, city council members, the president of your local chamber of commerce, and/or heads of local companies to discuss your campaign for Earth Day. • Have a small but diverse group attend these meetings to emphasize your broad base of support. • Be well prepared. Arrange in advance who will lead the meeting and who will say what. If the person with whom you meet has questions for you that you do not know how to answer, it is okay to say, “I am not sure, but I will research that and get back to you.” • Use a short fact sheet and other supporting materials to ensure that you have a clear message. • Offer concrete suggestions for how civic leaders can help achieve a rapid clean energy transition. Call for city- and state-wide energy audits to identify potential reductions in power use benefiting taxpayers, state and municipal budgets, and the environment. You can also consult an expert to provide more information. Be sure to ask the person you are meeting what his/her stance is on the topic so you know best how to approach him/her. • Let your representatives and local leaders know that you’ll keep contacting them until your issues are adequately addressed.

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Public meetings and actions You can indirectly lobby public officials through actions that bring public attention to your campaign. Target those public officials who do not adequately address your issue and support and thank your political allies. • Attend public meetings to get your issue addressed. Talk about it publicly and generate enthusiasm. Have Earth Day buttons or stickers for supporters. Bring fact sheets, sign-up sheets, or other useful information. • Take out an ad in a local newspaper. Explain Earth Day and your campaign, and encourage people to take action (phone calls, letters, emails, etc.). Confirm where your ad will be placed, so it does not get buried where few people will see it. Include contact information so that people can find out more about your campaign. • Hold a rally, phone and letter-writing effort, or a march with your supporters. A week before the event, send out a news release to publicize what you’re doing, including the time, date, and location of the event. Don’t forget your contact information so people can request more information. At the event, have signs, stickers, petitions, and fact sheets available. • Take the opportunity to speak about your event or campaign at public meetings where legislators may be present. Attend your representatives’ public meetings, ask questions, and organize your network in the audience to do the same. • If the legislator appears on a local television or radio program, call in and ask questions. Organize others to do so as well. Letters, petitions and email You can organize a lobbying campaign through written communication. This is a good way to start attracting interest to your cause. Outside of face-to-face meetings and phone calls, personalized letters are the most effective forms of communicating your message. That being said, a petition drive or email campaign with large numbers of participants can also be valuable. At every event, have a letter-writing table with sample letters. Supply stamps, postcards or pre-stamped envelopes, and collect the letters or postcards to be mailed. 18

Whether you are working with an existing local group or wish to start a new Earth Day project in your community, you will need to recruit and manage a team of volunteers to accomplish your goals.

Finding volunteers Earth Day is an ideal opportunity for interested citizens who have never volunteered before. You just need to The key to success in finding volunteers invite them! On some projects, is sending out invitations that cause volunteers do it all, including planning, people to respond. logistics, execution, and follow-up. • Person-to-Person. At meetings or The following guidelines will help by phone. If you can’t meet face-to-face, you develop and maintain a strong nothing beats a phone call! volunteer team. • Visual. Flyers and/or posters in the mail, student post offices, stores or Extending an invitation businesses. Invite as large a cross-section of your community as possible to your meeting. Make sure notices get posted in all areas of your community. You can usually arrange the use of a meeting space through local religious congregations, schools, libraries or concerned businesses. Send a notice to local newspapers stating that you are going to hold an Earth Day organizing meeting at a certain time and place, and that everyone is invited to attend. 19

• Media, print and online • Newsletters • Email or direct mail • Partner organization Find out how people heard about your meeting by a show of hands or distribute a survey: newspaper announcement, flyer, through a friend, radio PSA, etc. This is useful information about what methods are most effective for finding volunteers. Remember, get the word out and be accessible!

Meeting with volunteers

Signing up volunteers

• Start each meeting by introducing yourself and welcoming the participants. If it’s a small meeting, ask everyone to do short introductions (for example, their names and a brief mention of what brought them to the meeting.)

At your meetings, always pass around a sign-up sheet for people to give their name, phone number, fax number, email address and home address.

• When possible, have a printed agenda ready to pass out or post one in large print on an easel. • Let participants know the plan for the meeting (for example, "First, I’m going to talk a little about Earth Day. Next, Susan will describe the projects we’re working on…") • Give attendees some background about your organization and project(s). Remember, some of them may have just recently heard about your group. • The next part of the meeting will depend on where you are in the planning stage. If you are just formulating plans, you can invite participants to brainstorm, encourage visionary thinking and get a flow of ideas going. If you have developed a specific project or plan, present it at the meeting and ask for feedback. Be sure that if you ask for feedback, you are truly open to suggestions. Be responsive, and incorporate good ideas from the group whenever you can. 20

Following the meeting, ask the volunteers to fill out an information form and sign up for specific tasks they are willing to take on. One way to do this sign-up is to write the names and brief descriptions of each task on pieces of paper and tape them up around the room, then let people sign themselves up. To simplify and organize recruiting and tracking, use a volunteer information form. The form should include name, address, day and evening phone numbers, special skills and interests, and jobs and roles that the volunteer would like to take on. You may want to develop a working database of volunteers to match tasks to people’s skills.

Establishing committees

Empowering your volunteers

Consider designating committees through which work can be divided up. Several different committees may emerge to work separately on projects that interest particular individuals. An events committee might work with a communications committee to produce a calendar on which all events and deadlines leading up to them might be posted. Once all activities and deadlines are listed, everyone can refer to the calendar to be clear about who is doing what, where, when and why.

People volunteer because they want to make a difference and because they want to be involved in something bigger than themselves. A central tenet of Earth Day is that everyone can make a difference. Let volunteers contribute their own ideas. No one wants to be part of a team where they never get to have input. Whenever possible, incorporate volunteers’ ideas into the overall vision for your project.

The importance of specific assignments Be organized as you seek volunteers and be prepared to offer specific assignments. One of the easiest ways to lose volunteers is to get them excited about a project and then not have a specific task ready for them to do. This word of caution, however, doesn’t mean that you must have all details worked out in advance; helping with planning is a substantial part of many volunteer tasks. It is essential to have things defined clearly enough so that each person knows what s/he has agreed to do and when it needs to be done. Make sure every task has a target date for 21 completion.

One important tool for maintaining an energized, active volunteer base is acknowledgement. Acknowledge people’s contributions and their generosity in giving their time. You might also seek ways to thank your volunteers through dinners or parties, certificates, letters to their employers or school counselors, and public recognition. If you have a volunteer coordinator, it will make this aspect of your work a lot easier. S/he must love people and love to be on the phone! Assign the right person to any given task. Don’t try and talk a volunteer into doing a job that you sense s/he really doesn’t want to do; it probably won’t turn out well. In fact, be sure that volunteers have a chance to decline or back out of an agreement. Guilt is a very poor motivator.

Developing a timetable From the start be sure to create clear, achievable completion dates—set up your volunteers to succeed by allowing a fair amount of time to produce your desired results. Be sure to check in with your volunteers along the way to be certain everything is moving according to plan. Know how much time you need, and for how long. Get commitments from your volunteers a few weeks or a month ahead of time, if possible. This allows you time to react and get replacements if something unexpected comes up.

Keep track and be accountable Structuring teams or groups of volunteers makes the work more fun and can prevent burnout. However, it is important that one person be accountable for each task. This doesn’t mean s/he does all the work, only that s/he is responsible for seeing that the work gets done. One way to keep things moving along is to assign task captains—perhaps more seasoned volunteers or interns who know the organization well. They can be your eyes and ears for certain tasks, helping things move along more quickly. They can inform you when key tasks are completed or when they may need extra attention. Be accountable yourself, and set a good model for your volunteers to be accountable. Be sure everyone is clear on tasks and delivery dates. One line of thought holds that volunteers can’t be held accountable because they’re not paid. This thinking is a recipe for disaster. The volunteers with whom you will be working will respond well to being entrusted with responsibilities.

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At the very start, get a clear picture of exactly what it is you need to be able to carry out your project or event. Begin working to make your vision a reality. There is a big difference between telling potential donors that you are doing something and telling them you want to do something and outlining their potential involvement. Talk in definite and specific terms to convey that you are serious about your plans. This means outlining exactly what their contribution will be used for and asking for a specific amount of money. Although it is important to think carefully about the amount of an ask, aim high. You can always bargain down, but it is almost impossible to bargain up. This will make your fundraising more effective. Remember that Earth Day campaigns and events offer creative opportunities to educate the community and spotlight your organization or committee, and they provide sponsorship opportunities for suitable organizations and businesses.

Creating a budget The first thing an organizer needs to do is create a budget. Make your budget realistic—not too high, but high enough to accomplish what you’ve set out to do. Then plan carefully how much money you will need to raise and in what amount of time. Many groups and businesses are willing to underwrite or sponsor events, or to donate needed items for an Earth Day event. Factor into your budget what things you can realistically expect to have donated and what things you will have to purchase. Preparing a budget may seem difficult, but it is worth the effort because it will: (1) Help you identify exactly what your needs are. (2) Point to avenues for filling those needs (often money is not needed, as many items can be donated). (3) Show prospective donors that you are organized and serious. 24

Types of financial support SOLICITATIONS/DONATIONS REQUESTS

FUNDRAISERS AND VISIBILITY PROJECTS

Fundraising by soliciting donations, whether cash or in-kind, is the most important part of your financial work. It is important to do a cost-benefit analysis before any fundraising activity. It costs money to raise money, but it should generally only cost at most 25% of the total raised. Don’t spend $75 to raise $100.

Consider a fundraising event or project. These are designed to: (1) raise visibility and (2) generate the money you need to ensure the success of your project.

Person-to-person requests, phone calls and mail solicitation provide a great opportunity to educate others about the importance of your project and gain support for your efforts—financially and otherwise. While nothing is as effective as person-toperson contact for soliciting funds, phone calls can also be effective. Remember that providing detailed information is important. Sometimes you will have to communicate in a variety of ways until you get an answer from a funder. Be prepared to answer all kinds of questions about your project, including how the money will be used and who else is participating. It is important to be comfortable talking about money; this will be a key to success. Think of it this way: you should feel proud to ask donors to participate by funding a worthwhile project. 25

•Merchandise such as T-shirts can be great fundraising products and can cost as low as $5/shirt and sold for $10. To take your environmental message one step further, choose organic cotton or other natural fabrics. •Benefits can generate income and publicity for your event. Contact a local radio station or music group about producing a benefit concert for your committee. Or encourage a restaurant or supermarket to donate a percentage of proceeds for one day to your committee. Publicize the fundraising through the media, flyers and other means. • Sales of donated merchandise, or even a good old-fashioned yard sale can benefit your group. • Dinner parties, bake-offs, neighborhood cleanups, stream walks, bike races, walk-a-thons, running events . . . all can generate income and visibility for you.

FOUNDATION SUPPORT

The fundraising committee for your event will need to decide whether to Private foundations exist to support a seek financial assistance from area variety of projects. These foundations businesses. Businesses may be have specific grant criteria and willing to make charitable donations, application processes that you will need offer advertising, donate in-kind to research before applying. assistance or provide discretionary funds in support of Earth Day Check your local library’s reference celebrations. Try to determine section for the following helpful whether their environmental practices publications: make them a "fit" for sponsoring Earth Day. (Something to consider: have •The Foundation Directory, a complete they signed on to the CERES— reference of private foundations and their Coalition for Environmentally criteria, listed by state. Responsible Economies—principles, or are they members of Businesses •The Foundation Center’s Grant Guides— for Social Responsibility?) a set of guides listing, by state, the LOCAL GOVERNMENT AS A foundations that fund specific programs. RESOURCE Guide titles include Grants for Environmental Education, Grants for Invite your city and county Children and Grants for Agriculture. government to co-sponsor your activities and spell out clearly what •Once you have identified the foundations you want them to do. If they agree to that might support your project or event, be a co-sponsor, you may be able to call them to request a grant application draw on the things governmental and a copy of their annual report. agencies can contribute—security, signage, postage, public relations, FUNDRAISING COMMITTEES venues, coordination and insurance. If you plan to work with a fundraising committee either to do individual solicitation or organize a fundraising event, ask for a specific commitment from each committee member. For example, when putting together an event committee, bring together 10 people and ask them each to commit to raising $5,000 for the project.

Involving your local government demonstrates to the community that there is broad-based support for addressing environmental issues. Having the mayor or county commissioners on stage with you for presentations and welcoming remarks means photo opportunities for them and for you.

GETTING LOCAL BUSINESSES INVOLVED Many businesses are searching for ways to be greener and you can offer them an opportunity! Often corporations and businesses have quarterly campaigns in which they sponsor environmental projects. Corporations may also designate employees to volunteer or serve on your committee. In addition to contributing money or volunteers, businesses might donate in-kind services. For example, many businesses have in-house printing facilities and may be able to print your programs free-of-charge or at cost. Approach local businesses for donations of paper, copying, printing, postage, volunteers, office space or phones. Spread out the requests so that instead of asking one company to donate 10,000 copies, ask 10 companies to donate 1,000 copies. Make your request as specific as possible. Share your vision for your project in a way that gets them excited about being involved.

Should you incorporate? To accept tax-deductible contributions, you must either: (1) have non-profit status in your state; or (2) find a local non-profit group whose mission is aligned with Earth Day and will allow you to operate under their auspices (technically, you will operate as a project of their organization). To receive non-profit status, you must incorporate as a federal 501(c)(3) corporation. This takes time and money for filing fees. First, contact your state’s Secretary of State for information on incorporation and registration as a non-profit in your state. Typically, you will need to obtain non-profit status in your home state first, prior to filing for federal approval. Plan on a minimum of 6-9 months before your incorporation process is finalized.

Some advantages of federal incorporation: • You will be eligible to receive donations tax-free. • Supporters can deduct their donations from their federal taxes. • Most grant makers require federal 501(c)(3) status, or a relationship to a 501(c)(3) sponsoring organization, for application. • You will be eligible for bulk-mail, non-profit rates. If you decide to pursue tax-exempt status, you will need these federal tax documents: • Publication 557—Tax-Exempt Status for your organization. • Form 1023 or 1024—Application for 501(c)(3) status. • Form 8718—User Fee for Exempt Organization (up to $300). • Form SS-4—Application for Employer ID number. • Form 526—Charitable Contributions. You must also provide your organization’s charter or mission statement, along with documentation of its history and activity, including fundraising methods and financial records. Does all of that seem overwhelming? You don’t need to be intimidated by The process. Just describe your organization’s work in plain English. Demonstrate broad public support for your group. The IRS Toll-Free Help Line is 1-800-829-1040. If you don’t have a lawyer in your group or on your board of directors, get one person to commit to seeing the process through to the end. Ask a local lawyer to help. Many will donate time to non-profit organizations whose missions they support. A final word on fundraising Asking for money can be a daunting prospect. It helps to remember that working on Earth Day activities fills a vital community need and provides a way for people to work together for the common good. Take pride in your work and don’t be afraid to let others know about your project. When you reach out to potential funders, it gives them an opportunity to participate in a meaningful way too. 28

Getting press coverage of your message

Message

There are two ways to get press coverage for your message, organization or Earth Day event: paid media (advertisements that you purchase for television, radio, newspapers or magazines) and earned media (publicity that you do not pay for, such as newspaper articles and television stories). This section deals exclusively with earned media. Earned media is one of the most effective ways of raising public awareness about your project, campaign or event. Unlike paid advertising, this type of publicity is also something that any organizer can generate, no matter how limited your budget is. All it takes is consistency, some insider tips and hard work. Most media outlets get much more information than they can possibly use. It is important to present your information in concise, interesting, well-organized and visually appealing ways, with a consistent, easy-to-recognize style. Most important, establish personal relationships with members of your local media. Find a spokesperson who brings good, established media relations to your team—or at a minimum, a good "people person" who is knowledgeable about your issue and message and can communicate effectively with reporters and members of the public. 29

What is the one thing you want people to know about your organization, issue or event? It could be the theme of your event. Perhaps it is one fact that beautifully illustrates the importance of your issue. Whatever it is, that one thing you want people to know and remember about you is your "message" and should be included in every press release, every quote to a reporter, every piece of material you produce—just like your logo. Repetition is the key—a person needs to hear your message 7-10 times before it starts to stick. Think of the limited opportunities you will have to communicate with the general public through newspaper and television stories, letters to the editor, editorials, your promotional materials and, in some cases, paid advertising. It is a true communications challenge to reach people frequently and consistently enough that they remember your message. The solution is to craft a message that resonates with people when they hear it, then repeat it at absolutely every opportunity. At the point that you think you can’t bear to repeat your message one more time, people are just beginning to hear it.

What to give to the Media MEDIA ADVISORY An advisory is generally used to alert the media that some sort of event will be taking place. It is a straightforward communication that goes to media in advance of the event and answers general questions: when and where the event will be held, what will happen and who is involved. A media advisory should: • Be on your organization’s letterhead. • Include a contact name, phone number and email. • Be no more than one side of a page. • Include a general description of the event, followed by logistical information. • Conclude with a "boilerplate“ description of your organization for context (boilerplate consists of one or two sentences that reporters can use to describe your organization). • Have "-30-" or "###" at the bottom to signify the end of the advisory.

PRESS RELEASE A press release is used as an announcement (but not to convey logistical details for an event—see “media advisory,” above) or as a means to convey your point of view. It is used to give the media information you think they might find interesting or newsworthy. Press releases should: • Be on your organization’s letterhead. • Include a contact name, phone number and email. • Be no more than two sides of a page (short is best!). • Alternate paragraphs that give factual context with short, pithy quotes from interesting spokespeople that deliver your message and point of view. • Conclude with a boilerplate description of your organization for context. • Have "-30-" or "###" at the bottom to signify the end of the release.

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Setting up your media program THE LIST Compile a media list or obtain a current one from one of your partner organizations. If you find yourself compiling the list yourself, check your local library—it will often have lists of local media you can copy. Then call each outlet to find out which reporter is most likely to cover your issue or event. Your media directory should contain: • Media outlets in your region, including the content and style of programs, columns, etc. and their deadlines. • An up-to-date list of reporters and editors and how to contact them by phone, fax and email.

event or projects, any press clippings you might already have, fact sheets from your group, or information from Earth Day Network on Earth Day’s history and mission and web address: www.earthday.net Keep your materials consistent, professional and short! Remember to include your key message on all materials, along with your logo and/or Earth Day Network’s logo. Reporters may use any or all of the content you provide them when they write their stories. Check your materials with a critical eye—do they accurately reflect your mission and message? Is your message likely to resonate with people who will read the reporter’s story? Will your materials and message excite people and get them involved?

Be sure to keep your media file current. Contacts may change as often Don’t ever think that time with a reporter is wasted, even if s/he doesn’t as every two to three months. write a story right away. When you establish relationships with reporters, ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIPS you are investing in their future coverage of your issue or event. The more Get to know your local media. Once you establish which reporters cover the informed a reporter is, the more accurate environment and/or community events, the story s/he eventually writes will be. introduce yourself with a phone call or a If you are respectful of a reporter’s time get-to-know-you meeting. and interests, and if you provide Be prepared—assemble a press kit of valuable, relevant information, you are important background materials. Your establishing yourself as a source for that reporter—and good sources are hard to press kit could include a calendar of find. events, a press release about your 31

This gives you another opportunity to talk with them and answer any questions they may have. But be respectful of their time—reporters work on deadline and often they will not have time to talk.

MAINTAINING THE FLOW OF INFORMATION Once you have made contact with members of your local media, make it a priority to maintain a positive working relationship. Here are some suggestions for ongoing communications with your media contacts:

Event Coverage, Step by Step 1) Make sure your media list is in order. Hopefully you have established relationships with reporters who are likely to cover your event. Remember that often reporters are assigned to stories only a day or a few hours in advance, so be prepared to meet some new reporters at your event.

• Be as helpful and accessible as possible. • Provide background information when a relevant news story breaks. • Participate in editorial board meetings or community meetings, especially when members of the media are expected to be there. • Conduct background briefings for reporters, especially when you are about to make an announcement or hold an event. • Send along interesting materials or articles you come across, but ONLY if you know the material is relevant to what the reporter is interested in. Include a personal note. NEVER inundate reporters with information they don’t want or have no use for. Don’t hesitate to follow up with a phone call to reporters to make sure they received any materials that you faxed, emailed or mailed to them. 32

2) Try to get some advance coverage for your event. Talk to reporters you know and ask them if their outlet might consider doing a story before the actual event. Think of good angles that might interest readers, listeners or viewers. Is there a good human interest story? Someone interesting who has volunteered at your event for the past 25 years? Feature stories are a good bet for advance media, because the event itself is not "news" until it actually happens.

You might also get some advance publicity if there are public service reasons to have the event announced by the media beforehand (for example, if the streets in a part of town are going to be closed for your street fair). It is never too early to start talking about your event to reporters. Get them thinking about what a great story it is going to be. Remember, they spend their days talking to other people—pretty soon the word will be all around town.

Don’t forget to send to the local bureaus of the wire services (like AP, UPI and Reuters)—they will put it in their list of daily events, where any reporter or editor can access it. Remember that many television and radio stations will not assign a reporter until the day before the event. Again, call to follow up and verify that the appropriate people have received the advisory. Be prepared to resend.

4) Craft your press release (see above for details and Appendix for an example). It should include quotes by prominent local leaders, deliver the core message of 3) Craft your media advisory (see your event, talk up the event and say above for details, and appendix for what it means for the community and the an example). Your media advisory bigger picture. Intersperse the quotes should go to all local calendar with factual paragraphs estimating the editors one month in advance of your event. Call to follow up and make attendance and giving other important contextual information about the event. sure they received it. Some will ask Send the release out several days before you to resend it when you are closer to the day of the event—make a note the event. As always, call to follow up and be prepared to resend. and resend when appropriate. Send your advisory out to all local media outlets at least one month in advance of the event, and then again one week before the event. The advisory should go to reporters you have relationships with, reporters who usually cover the environment or events, and to a general assignment editor at each media outlet (you don’t need the specific name of the editor; it will change frequently).

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5) The day before the event and the morning of the event (if possible) call your local media outlets to see if they are planning on covering the event. Have your advisory and release handy to resend. Don’t be surprised if you end up talking with a general assignment editor you’ve never spoken with before. Make your pitch quickly, find out if they are planning on covering the event, and move on to your next call. At this point all you are doing is final verification of your press attendance—all your legwork previous to this call is what will get you the coverage you deserve.

Have your spokespeople prepared to talk to the media so that reporters can get their interviews as efficiently as possible.

6) Have a media area at the event. Make sure it is clearly identified with signs, and that your advisory, release and follow up have all been explicit about where the media area will be. It is best to hold it right at the entrance to the event. Have press kits with information about the event ready for reporters. Make sure you collect a business card from all reporters or have them sign in so you can follow up with them later and make sure that they have all the information they need. It can also be very helpful to have articulate, informed volunteers ready to help reporters find exactly the information or spokespeople they are looking for.

7) Follow up with reporters. Make sure that they got all the information and interviews they need. Your professionalism and attention to their needs will be greatly appreciated.

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It is important to have a diverse group of spokespeople available and willing to talk to the press—local elected officials, business people, environmental activists, teachers, parents, youth, grandparents.They each have a unique view of why your event or issue is important to the community. Both the press coverage and your relationships with reporters will be enhanced by such preparedness.

Additional Communications Opportunities EDITORIAL BOARDS Most newspapers have a board of writers that decide what positions the paper will take on a multitude of different issues. Editorial boards decide which local—and national— political candidates to endorse and whether or not to condemn the local coal-fired power plant for polluting the community. They might write editorials about Earth Day or the environment. PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS (PSAs) The public service announcement (PSA) can be a great way to get your message out. Since PSAs are considered a service to the community and not an advertisement, many radio and television stations will run them free of charge. PSAs provide clear, concise answers to the who, what, when, where, why and how of your event. There are generally four different lengths: • 10 seconds (25 words) • 20 seconds (50 words) • 30 seconds (75 words) • 60 seconds (150 words) 35

If you provide all four versions, the station can decide which one(s) to use. Good PSAs will mention the name, theme and/or telephone number of your group or event twice, so listeners will be more likely to remember the information. If you are planning to try to place PSAs with your local media, remember that you should get the announcement to a station’s Public Affairs Director at least two weeks—and preferably up to eight weeks—in advance. Whether or not you want to develop an extensive PSA strategy, keep your local media in mindstations are often happy to include your event information on their "listener hotlines.” If you are interested in pursuing a PSA strategy with your local media, see appendix for samples of event-related PSAs. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor are a public forum that calls attention to your organization both before and after your event. Contact your local newspaper(s) to find out length restrictions, and where to send letters.

All letters to the editor must be signed and include an address and daytime telephone number. Encourage volunteers and community leaders to write letters that touch on Earth Day, the environment, your community’s environmental challenges, and/or other themes. EVENTS CALENDARS Many media outlets provide a calendar of events that are likely to be of interest to their readers. When you contact your local calendar editor to find out when they prefer to receive information about your event, direct them to the calendar feature of the Earth Day Network Web site (www.earthday.net) as an easy way to access local Earth Day information. If your local area does not have a lot of events listed, consider compiling the events yourself as a service to the calendar editors. Be sure to enter the information into the Earth Day Network’s Global Event Registry so people in your area can find you when they check our website for events!

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Congratulations! As an Earth Day Organizer, you are working along with millions of people around the world to ensure that we pass on a livable world to our children and to future generations.

We are committing ourselves to a fundamental shift in the way we consider our relations to the environment and to each other. We are choosing to act rather than react; invite rather than direct; and collaborate rather than compete. By participating in Earth Day, we enrich each other while working together to heal our Earth.

Earth Day Network is the nonnon-profit organization that grew out of the original Earth Day in 1970. Earth Day Network supports and coordinates thousands of Earth Day events worldwide each year. Earth Day, April 22, is the largest secular holiday in the world, celebrated by more than a billion people.

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