Denver has launched a new social media campaign, ‘The One Effect,’ to encourage residents to take action on climate change. The campaign, which is part of the Denver Climate Project, asks residents to film themselves asking what they can do about climate change and to submit their answers online.

Climate Action in Denver

The campaign is an attempt to counter collective hopelessness rising alongside global temperatures. Mayor Mike Johnston kicked off the campaign at a food truck event outside the Denver City and County Building, where he asked the question and encouraged others to do the same.

The Denver Climate Project is a $3 million effort to bolster support for local climate projects. The project’s initial phase included ads with the tagline ‘Do more. Do less. Do something,’ and a list of over 70 ideas for residents to take action on climate change.

Reaction to the Campaign

Some critics, such as local lawyer and member of the Denver Bicycle Lobby Robert Greer, think the message misses the mark. Greer believes the city should reserve its climate funding to cut its own emissions, rather than putting the onus on residents. However, environmental consultant Joel Cox, who is running for Denver City Council, thinks the campaign can be effective if it directs residents to existing public programs.

Phaedra Pezzullo, director of the Sustainability and Storytelling Lab at the University of Colorado Boulder, notes that research shows small individual actions can add up to more collective steps. She believes the campaign can inspire others to take action, but could have done more to emphasize political action or shifting investment portfolios away from fossil fuels.

Original reporting: Denverite — read the source article.