ASSOCIATIONINSIGHT
Portable Sanitation Association International News
BIWEEKLY EDITION AUGUST 19, 2020
Page 15
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Winning Hearts and Minds…Continued from page 6
As is seen, the standard message of grassroots mellowing is aimed at highlighting the alignment of interests
between the public and the group in question, so that over time, the public develops a more favorable view of
the group and their cause. The methods in which organizations like the PSAI can engage in grassroots mellowing
include running television and digital media ads, billboard advertisements, and mailer ads.
One brilliant template for grassroots mellowing is the approach adopted by large energy companies like Chevron.
Take for example Chevron's "Doin' More with Less" campaign. Instead of trying to sell oil, they highlight their
efforts to expand green energy and power America at large. Taking a similar path would serve the PSAI's interests.
There is one particular issue that the portable sanitation industry can coalesce around to engage in grassroots
mellowing, and that is environmentalism. Using the previous example of Chevron, oil companies have recognized
the growing movement toward being more
environmentally friendly, and have adjusted their
message to persuade a broader audience to their cause
by highlighting efforts in clean energy. The assertion of
this claim is backed up by several pieces of evidence.
Climate protests and the rise of "environmental rock
stars" like Greta Thunberg among younger people
point to a shift in public opinion. More compelling,
however, are recent polls, like one conducted by
US News & World Report that show young people,
regardless of partisan divide are growing more
supportive of taking environmentally friendly steps.
Being mindful of this fact, the portable sanitation
industry should highlight how it contributes to water
conservation and disaster mitigation in areas hit
especially hard by climate change. By showcasing the efforts of the industry in this area, the coming generations of
adults would begin to develop favorable opinions and perceptions of portable sanitation.
In conclusion, we should apply grassroots tactics for providing information to the public about the alignment
of interests between average consumers and the portable sanitation industry in this era of rapid change and
transformation. Implementing age-old techniques in new modes of media and new messages of environmental
sustainability will cultivate a society that is far more receptive to the use of portable sanitation in their daily
lives, not just immediately, but for years to come. Therefore, organizations like the PSAI should undertake these
measures to advance not only their own interests, but the public's as well. v
Young protesters in Dublin, Ireland September 2019.
