Using the collaborative model of STORM for impact and environmental engagement

The environment needs communications and engagement programs that are as professional as other environmental projects. STORM (Stormwater Outreach for Regional Municipalities) offers a model for environmental professionals on: 1. Crowd sourcing engagement and action, 2. Sharing a learning environment on best practices, 3. How collaboration adds up to resources, partners, training and impact. Projects of any size can use these approaches to improve outreach. STORM collaborates to design, create and evaluate programs that engage diverse audiences in environmental actions. Over 83 jurisdictions and nonprofit partners use the collective action model to deliver award winning programs. Examples of these techniques will come from those programs: Don\u27t Drip and Drive, Puget Sound Starts Here, Natural Yard Care, STORM Fest, LatinX audience research, and the Resource Reservoir, an online library and web strategy. The teams use social marketing frameworks to develop effective, measurable programs that follow steps familiar to environmental projects: research, design, strategy, implementation, evaluation. Those resources are available to partners and the public to use. Historically, effective outreach design has not been a focus of environmental investment, research or training. The STORM collaborative fills this gap by working systematically to empower members and residents to address environmental issues. Membership work groups chose to focus on specific issues, and share resources that allow a greater impact and reach. The STORM collaborative helps jurisdictions to share the load of addressing large-scale regional water quality issues and engagement. It is a model for working together for environmental action and making the work of environmental professionals relevant to their communities. There is the perception that social marketing or behavior change programs cannot be measured or do not work, that inclusion of new communities is challenging. Like many environmental issues, change can be incremental, but powerful, and new practices can be used address new challenges