Green Partnerships Local Partnerships for Greener Cities and Regions

Awareness(training material)

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Introduction

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Energy efficiency and Renewable energy sources are more and more important these days. Many people feel they cannot respond to these challenges. They believe that there is nothing they can do, as individuals, which will change things. But everyone can do something, and collectively make a real difference: be more efficient in our own energy use.

For these reasons we need to raise awareness at different groups of people (public sector, children, teachers, companies etc.)

If you give people possibilities to see, touch and maybe try – it make the biggest effect on their decisions.

In the awareness raising activities we need to influent on people minds through their emotions.

We have to take the time to understand what people’s priorities are and what motivates them.

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- In raising awareness it is important to note that different people learn in different ways;

- In terms of making the events as inclusive as possible, remember that different people are around at different times of the day and week, and that some will not be able to access events at certain times or in certain places;

- Try to think really creatively about the themes of the events you are holding, as different themes will attract very different audiences;

- If you are able to create events that include something that will appeal to all these different learning types of people, you are far more likely to attain the depth of awareness that you are looking for;

- Awareness raising is not always about speaking and telling people things – listening is also an important element.

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Raising Awareness and social influence

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• Doing more with lessImproving energy efficiency does not mean that citizens have to give up or forgot activities to save energy. Rather, new technologies and more effective behaviour will actually allow citizens to do more, improving their living conditions rather than reducing their comfort.

• Changing behaviourefforts to make public transport more attractive as an alternative to cars, and education initiatives to help households reduce their heating bills through improved insulation and correct use of the thermostat.

• Why education?Ensuring all citizens are ‘energy aware’ is a key factor, and the role of education and information initiatives in schools is crucial.

Psychology of awareness raising activity

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Obstacles and difficulties faced on regular work in that area/theme

The main barriers for raising awareness activities: Lack of concrete knowledge on how to use energy efficiently and on the environmental impacts linked to energy consumption• Lack of awareness and no carried out campaigns on increasing energy efficiency; • Public sector is not very interested in educational activities;• Companies do not have enough time to have longer training;• Educational institutions do not have enough money to involve energy expert in their

activities;• School curriculums do not include many activities in energy field;• Economic crisis demotivates people;• Marketing activities and experts are expensive;• Difficulties to quantify the actions impacts, and then to give a feedback and for

benchmarking;• Difficulties to change behaviour;• Difficulties to involve the building users because they don't directly benefit by the

achieved savings;• Technical problems preventing good practices to be applied (e.g. radiator without

thermostat).

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The best approach is:

• to better inform the building users to make them aware of their possibilities of actions;

• to encourage / to induce the users to act out (from awareness to actions);

• to perpetuate the changes by the monitoring and the communication on the results.

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Technological examples and tools of awareness raising material

Good planning is fundamental to the success of an energy awareness programme.

The main points to consider are:• support and resources,• your current situation,• your target audience and goal setting,• messages and communication channels.

Before choosing the right tool the target group should be defined: Children Students Citizens Households Companies (offices, services, industrial…) Passengers (car users, bikers…) Elderly people Public sector

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Be aware of promotional overloadPeople tend to look at subjects or issues that interest them and ignore the rest. Your messages and slogans will have to be punchy and varied to interest different people.

Use the right language for the target audience.

Unless you are addressing a technical audience, do not use technical language.

Keep it simple and appropriate.

Once you have identified your target group and the appropriate messages, work out how to convey them.

Use an assortment of methods as people respond differently to each medium (pictorial messages, written messages, verbal communications).

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Tools how to educate and inform the people and raise their awareness about energy matters:

• Written: Booklets, brochures, leaflets, web info, mailing, etc.• Audio: short sayings, funny definitions, questions, etc.• Video: short films, animations, cartoons, etc.• Personal presentations, communications: lectures, workshops, etc.• Public events

You must select the most appropriate delivery tools for your messages.

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Brochure (a flyer, pamphlet or leaflet that that is used to pass information about something):- advertising pieces mainly used to introduce an organization and inform about

products and/or services to a target audience;- uses higher-quality paper, more colour, and is folded; - Brochures are often read from the cover to the end so make sure information is

ordered effectively.

Emails (are a direct form of communication and allows you to send targeted messages):- messages should be relevant and interesting;- don’t make the email too long – aim to get straight to the point;- use graphics and/or colour;- don’t overload recipients with too many messages this can cause a negative

reaction.

Tools

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Posters (remind people to save energy but they must be renewed at regular intervals)- Can contain different types of messages: news, questions and commands;- You have to place posters at the point of use and at eye level;- A poster usually suggests action that can take place now;- The message must be short so that the lettering can be bold and large and seen at a

distance.

Stickers- Encourage people to think about saving energy;- Target different equipment or individuals;- You can use stickers at the point of use, on or near equipment, like photocopiers,

printers, computers, light switches and machines. You can label equipment with colours. Red could mean “switch off after use” and green could mean “allowed to be left on”, for example.

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Displays- Place the display where everybody can see it;- Concentrate on one or two issues at a time and change them regularly to

maintain interest;- Use images such as photos, cartoons or energy use charts.

Newsletters (news, opinions and feature articles on topics of interest to a target audience)- To use communications where available, to inform people and report on

success stories or events, include photos of the people involved;- Think about the publication’s audience;- Make raising energy awareness a regular feature.

Presentations, lectures and workshops - A dedicated presentation, lecture or a workshop on energy saving is an ideal

opportunity for getting the message across;- an ideal forum for face-to-face communication;- They also provide an opportunity for reporting on progress and providing

information on energy consumption.

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Word of mouth (any apparently informal communication about the product by ordinary individuals)- It generates messages to stimulate interest and get people talking;- Word of mouth is often the most powerful method of communication;- Successful messages are those which provide information and get people talking

about the issue.

Promotional materials - Include messages on promotional materials such as diaries, calendars, Christmas

cards, leaflets, brochures and mouse mats;- If possible, add energy saving messages to your organisation’s website or create

dedicated web pages about the programme;- Make people aware of your achievements in energy saving – this is a good

marketing message which can help enhance your organization image.

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Competitions - By offering attractive prizes, you can motivate people and raise their awareness

on energy efficiency;- an excellent way of getting people to participate in saving energy;- Ideas: to design a poster, to prepare an energy quiz, to create slogans – the best

slogan wins, to paint a picture, to photo a picture;- You could target it at people at general or to the children.

Press release (a brief written summary or update, alerting the local media about your group’s news and activities):- Similar to news articles but they are usually prepared for the people who are

working in specialized fields;- Are created either to preview an upcoming event or to inform the public about

something that has already occurred.

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Press conferences (it is a tool designed to generate news – hard news)- An additional media technique, for special occasions, when you really want to

make an impression;- You can give more information than in a press release;- It is interactive;- You can announce an important development, and explain its significant local

and wider implications;- You can often generate the kind of notice or publicity – a spot on the 6:00 TV

news, for instance – that you’d otherwise have to pay a large amount for.

Media or public event (is an event or activity that exists for the sole purpose of media publicity)- It may also include any event that is covered in the mass media or was hosted largely with the media in mind.

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Video- When you use video on your website, you have a powerful tool that can

increase the popularity of your web pages;- When you use video on your website, you have a powerful tool that can

increase the popularity of your web pages.;- use video to turn a static website into a dynamic, interactive destination.

An effective awareness-raising campaign strategy will employ a variety of different communication approaches and techniques to ensure that the

central message is received and understood by a diverse audience.

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Education and information materials

To raise awareness is to inform and educate people about a topic or issue with the intention of influencing their attitudes, behaviours and beliefs towards the achievement of a defined purpose or goal.

The fundamental mission of education on sustainable energy is to change the understanding of the role and importance of energy in ensuring the well-being - quality of life, with the aim of improving energy management in the technological, economic and environmental sense.

Rational use of energy requires the active role of the individual who is aware that energy is not in itself given in unlimited quantities. Therefore, the awareness raising activities and education, especially for younger population which will need to take prudent environmental decisions in the future, are among the most important instruments to achieve sustainable energy use.

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The general objectives that we want to achieve in the context of educational activities are as following:• Encourage the interest for environmental issues, particularly in the field of RES

and RUE among people and aware them that prudence daily acting contribute to the welfare of our own households, communities, as well as to the global environment.

• To encourage people to passes on the lessons learned, especially to encourage the school teachers to include energy related topics in daily classroom activities.

It is necessary to present the subject to the specific target group in an appropriate manner (prior knowledge and understanding of the topics must be covered).

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Examples

Children:www.energap.si/uploads/biomass_student_handbook.pdfwww.energap.si/uploads/Energy%20awernes%20-%20activitybook_2010.pdf

Education on energy: www.energap.si/uploads/Energija%20%20-%20splo%C5%A1no.pdf

Example of video:

Sustainable Mobility and Climate Change‏.mp4

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Public authorities:The example of step by step guide for implementing energy management in public sectorwww.minus3.org/dokumenti/minus3_how_to_guide_eng.pdf

Companies:The example how to introduce a mobility management in companies can be found on the link www.solar-process-heat.eu/fileadmin/redakteure/So-Pro/Work_Packages/WP3/Planning_Guideline/Techn_Bro_SoPro_en-fin.pdf Housholds: About energy certificate Passengers: Energy efficient way of driving (in Slovene language)www.energap.si/uploads/Energetsko_varcen_nacin_voznje-zlozenka(1).pdf

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Basic definitions about Energy

Renewable energy - energy that comes from resources which are naturally replenished. It includes all energy sources, which are extracted from permanent natural processes• Solar radiation,• Wind, • Water flow in rivers or streams (hydro energy),• Photosynthesis by which plants build biomass and• Terrestrial heat flow (geothermal energy).

Renewable sources are converted into other forms of energy that we need in everyday life - heat, light, electricity, mechanical work etc.

Renewable energy is important because of the benefits it provides. The key benefits are: Environmental benefits (lover environmental impact); Energy for our children’s children (RE will not run out); Jobs and the economy; Energy security.

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Energy Efficiency - Efficient energy use is the goal to reduce the amount of energy required to provide products and services.

There are many motivations to improve energy efficiency. Reducing energy use reduces energy costs and may result in a financial cost saving to consumers if the energy savings offset any additional costs of implementing an energy efficient technology. Reducing energy use is also seen as a solution to the problem of reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Energy saving in the overall sense also derives from a change in consumer behaviour. This means, for example, a policy of making public transport more attractive and thereby encouraging car users to take the bus or train instead; or educating people on how to reduce heat losses from their house, notably through correct use of thermostats.

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Estimated gross energy consumption (1,725 Mtoe) by sector in 2005

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Examples of promotional campaign for different target groups

There are four key components of an effective awareness raising campaign:

1. Message2. Audience3. Strategy4. Timing

Remember this:The most effective awareness-raising messages are typically short, simple,

flexible and memorable! They should also be kept fresh and novel to ensure that people notice them and react positively.

An effective awareness-raising campaign strategy will employ a variety of different communication approaches and techniques to ensure that the

central message is received and understood by a diverse audience.