Effective Online Animal Advocacy
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Humane Spot, a website that empowers animal advocates with access to the research, analysis, strategies, and messages that maximize their effectiveness to reduce animal suffering, has a series on Advocacy Strategies. In part 4, online advocacy is examined.
The author says:
“Although we know how social movement organizations are using the internet, we do not know if it is an effective tool. The internet is relatively new to social movement organizing and so studies have not yet been conducted to measure its efficacy for achieving movement goals. Though it is clear that a lot of information can be posted on websites and can reach a wide audience, it is not clear if this leads people to take action. It may be that the information directs people to ways that they can help animals.”
Luckily, one group has done research on the topic. A new campaign called “Take 5 Save 5” offers free vegan starter kits online through Craigslist and other websites. The campaign is based on solid research that this form of web activism REALLY WORKS. They offered the kits online and then followed up with a survey of those who requested the kits. The survey found that most kit receivers changed their consumption of animal products, with a net result of fewer animal products consumed.
The campaign organizers say:
“we found that 5 minutes spent posting ads on internet sites lead to about 5 Vegetarian Starter Pack orders. [...] even if we completely ignore the huge number of animals spared by all of those who partially or significantly reduced their meat consumption, and just look at those who had gone vegetarian, simple math for five minutes of work indicates: 5 (Veg Starter Pack orders) x .03 (a very low end estimate of the percentage of people who went vegetarian; based on the data above it seems more like 5-7% than 3%) x 40 (approximate number of animals spared per year for each person who goes vegetarian) = about six animals per year spared a lifetime of suffering with just five minutes of work!”
Here are the survey results: http://www.eleafleting.com/take5save5/documentation.htm
The campaign is simple. Just offer free vegan starter kits through free online classified ads. Go to take5save5.com to learn more >>
I have repeatedly tried to post on Craigslist but they also flag my messages and are then taken down. Sad because there are so many inappropriate ads on Craigslist that remain up.
.-= Rhea Parsons´s last blog ..Restaurant Review- Peacefood Cafe =-.
Rhea, that’s to be expected. It’s part of the process. They even say, “Please also note that occasionally a posting will get flagged by other users and removed. Don’t be surprised or discouraged if this happens – it will happen periodically, it’s not your fault, and if it does happen you can just come back here to take5save5.com and post again to a different Craigslist page.”