An interview with Brett Jenks, CEO, Rare Conservation 

Large mammals the like polar bear have a special place in our hearts and our imagination.  They make cute stuffed animals for our kids and capture our fascination when we see them at our zoos.  Today, however, the ice caps are melting and the polar bears are drowning because the ice is thinning.  It is a visible sign that our climate is changing for the worse, and makes for a macabre story.

One question to ask is whether some good can come out of this sad tale.  Will shocking images change people’s attitudes towards the environment?  Will the polar bear become a rally cry for action on global warming?  Can a drowning polar bear save us all?

For those not already receptive to a green message, attitude change is a prerequisite to influencing purchase behavior.  Changing attitudes – whether it be toward the environment or any another issue – can be a tall order, however.  As a result, most for-profit companies shy away for this challenge for a simple economic reason: it is more effective and efficient to target consumers already receptive to the message than to invest in consumers who aren’t. 

For those that do, including both for-profit and non-profit organizations, changing attitudes presents a formidable challenge.