10:10

The wonderful people at 10:10 want a 500 word memo on a vision for the organisation in 2011. 10:10 is a movement of people, schools, businesses and organisations cutting their carbon 10% at a time. As someone who previously campaigned for Greenpeace on climate change and has run other high profile environmental campaigns I thought I would give it a go. Here is my memo.

How do you build on a hugely successful campaign like 10:10? Let’s start by stating what I wouldn’t do. Although 10:10 is heavily associated with the year 2010 I wouldn’t change the name or the aim of the organisation. They are your greatest assets.

So here are five things I would do. First introduce new targets.

At Greenpeace I developed the UKs first solar net metering deal and wave power commission. To do this I contrasted the UK with other countries that had set much more ambitious renewable energy targets. So for those who have already met their 10:10 commitment introduce new targets such as 15:15.

Second continue investing in online campaigning and social media as a way of spreading the word.  I ran the first viral marketing campaign at the Ramblers. It resulted in over 20,000 hits and 1000 new members. I also ran very a successful online campaign at the Commission for Racial Equality featuring celebrities changing colour. Why not ask every 10:10 member and celebrity to donate a tweet or a Facebook entry each week when they sign up?

Third publish a strategy highlighting how Britain can reduce its carbon emissions by 10% while also creating a 10% increase in green jobs in a year. I produced a very similar strategy at Greenpeace called ‘New Power for Britain’. It made the case for opening up the market in offshore wind. Today we are a world leader.

Fourth find a high profile name to be a spokesperson and mobilise the membership. I would approach George Monbiot and Jonathan Porritt. To mobilise members I would progress from personal responsibility to taking action. I am proud of organising a mass trespass to promote the Right to Roam at the Ramblers. I was also on a Greenpeace ship which prevented BP from drilling for new oil in the Arctic by occupying a drilling rig called the Stena Dee. Could 10:10 emulate the tactics of UK Uncut to highlight the fight against climate change?

And finally grow the organisation by introducing a new membership offer, a new online shop, new ways to donate and new partners. At the Ramblers I recruited 60,000 new members over three years using the web, inserts and face to face selling bringing in over £2.5m. I would run a 10:10 campaign aiming to achieve 20,000 paying members and 5000 paying businesses by the end of 2011.

I also raised £350,000 from advertising and merchandise deals with companies like Blacks and Millets. So I would approach the Co-operative Group and ask them to market your tags. And get members to use Everyclick. And add the British Chambers of Commerce and the Department of the Environment as partners. I worked with senior executives from each of these companies while managing a senior stakeholder programme at the Commission for Rural Communities.

This is an exciting time to be a supporter of 10:10. I’m proud of my radical roots and campaigning heritage. Now I’d like to use my experience and contacts to make 10:10 the campaigning charity on climate change.