Musicians are embedding climate activism into tours by creating hyperlocal petitions at each show. At a Phoenix concert during 109-degree heat, fans signed over a thousand petitions asking FEMA to declare extreme heat an emergency. The hosts argue effective climate stories need emotional connection to a local issue plus a clear, easy action people can actually take.
Chapters
When we built out our tour last summer, we've done this with a bunch of other artists. Now in each city, we create a way for fans to engage around a policy that's hyperlocal to that city. Last year, we pulled into Phoenix. It was 109 degrees out. The action that we had people taking on site at our show was to sign a petition to get FEMA to designate extreme heat as an emergency so that funds could be unlocked. We didn't phrase it in the way that I just phrased it to you, but it was, isn't it too hot out? Your friends and family are feeling it. Sign this petition so we can get more money in order to protect you all from the heat. You know, something very simple and easy and stuff that people do recognize and care about. We got a thousand signatures in the moment because there was the ability to tell this story. People related to it emotionally, and there was ability for them to take action directly on it. If I was in Chicago and saying, In Phoenix, it's 109 degrees out.
They.
Can'T.
Really relate to the problem as much.
And they'll tell their friends, oh, my God, did you hear In Phoenix, it's 109 degrees out and nothing is great. What are they.
Gonna do about it? Right. It's like people on the east coast supporting legislation for forest fires, people on the west coast signing up for legislation to help hurricane victims.
Exactly, Exactly. There's a big difference between a good story and an effective story. A good story is one that you'll tell to people and they'll tell their friends and family about it, but an effective story is one that will make people get up off their ass and do something.
