A Discourse on Digital Philanthropy and Climate Activism

1. S O C I A L C O N S C I E N C E
A DISCOURSE ON DIGITAL PHILANTHROPY
AND CLIMATE ACTIVISM
BY ERIN KOWALSKI

2. PART OF
EVERY DAY
LIFE
In the digital age, online
activism has become
mainstream.

3. While many celebratedigital
philanthropy as part of the solution
to inaction, there are cynics who
critiqueit as ineffectual.

4. N E W A R R I V A L
A CLOSER
LOOK
Despite the stigmathat surrounds
the effectiveness of online activism, a
review of digital climate change action
reveals that social engagement has the
power to effect connective
action.

5. KEY
TERM
Much debate on the topic of online
activism focuses on the concept of
clicktivism, which is defined as
facilitating social change and activism
via the use of digital media.1

6. Critics view online activism as slacktivism,
going so far as to stipulate that it has a placebo
effect due to the minimal amount of effort
required on the part of participants. The simple
act of supporting a cause behind the veil of a
screen does little to encourage people to leave
their comfort zone.2

7. Yet, despite the cynics—those who do nothing
more than foster a world that runs rampant with
cynicism—there are individuals that tune in,
fight for what they believe in, and change
the world.3

8. WHEN WE
FAIL TO ACT
When people stop fighting for the
future that they desire, they create a
dead end. Doing nothing results
in nothing getting done.4

9. “Cynicism is a protective mechanism when going
out on a limb feels dangerous, but in facing
modern challenges, it is not going to save you.
Every action and inaction matter
and serve as equally powerful catalysts for what
comes next: a positive difference, or enabled lesser
acts by others.”5
- Miranda Wheeler

10. Incidentally, history
demonstrates that, over
time, an impactful
differencecan be
made by many people
taking small actions.

11. From civil rights to women’s rights, anti-
war to labour, grassroots movements
have always carried a social element,
using the latest technology
availableto spread their message.6

12. Botanic
a
“Digital media, such as social
networks, campaign websites and
email, are the twenty first century
town square.”7
- Alexander White
TODAY, THE
MESSAGE BEARER
IS DIGITAL.

13. When it comes to climate change
activism, social engagement has
proven merit.

14. GREENPEACE
• In 2011, Greenpeace ran a campaign on
Facebook to petition against Facebook’s
use of coal to power their data servers
• After acquiring more than 700,000
likes over 20 months, the social network
conglomerate announced a new policy
with a focus on using renewable energy8

15. CLIMATE COUNCIL
• In 2013, the Australian Climate
Commission was defunded
• Climate change action in the form of a
crowdfunded initiative was able to
transfer the Commission into the
Climate Council, a now independent
institution9

16. WWF INTERNATIONAL
• The World Wildlife Fund has a strong and
successful track record of using global
social media initiatives to ignite brand
awareness and public emotion
• When 1.6 million people signed the
petition for the Virunga campaign, it
became backed by law and business
ethics, resulting in future protection of
the World Heritage site and habitat10

17. N E W A R R I V A L
INSPIRING
ACTION
The success of these initiatives, and of all
digital climate change campaigns, lies in their
ability to increase awareness, which
results in encouraging motivated people to
discover ways to get involved.

18. However, to ensure that they are being
effective at inciting lucrative social change,
online activists must take care to also
impart real-world activism, as
clicking on its own risks having insufficient
impact.11

19. To further ensure success, online activists
and creators of digital activism campaigns
would benefit from drawing inspiration from
the dragonfly, which symbolizes that small
movements are capable of bringing about
tremendous aftereffects.12
THE DRAGONFLY
EFFECT

20. As scholars Aaker and Smith have
shown, social impactcan best
be achieved through the four wings
of the metaphorical dragonfly to
make sure that the message:
1. Is clear in focus
2. Grabs the attentionof the
target demographic
3. Creates engagement
4. Inspires people to take
action13

21. Finally, individuals who are serious about devoting
themselves to evoking real climate change action
should take care not to spread themselves too wide
and thin by simultaneously supporting multiple
causes rather than only one, for as playwright
Richard Foreman warns, having access to a vast
network of information at our fingertips runs the
risk of turning us into ‘pancake people.’14
PANCAKE PEOPLE

22. At the end of the day, there will
always be negative attitudes when it
comes to clicktivism. Whether it be
the result of anti-activism
propaganda or a gross underestimate
of the power of collective unity,
digital social engagement has proven
to be a successful advocate
of climate change activism.

23. THERE IS POWER
IN DIGITAL UNITY
Together, we have the collective power to move mountains and make
an enormous imprintin the fight against climate change. The
greatest peril is in joining the pessimists and taking no action at all.

24. SOURCES
1. Ritu Sharma, “Stop Pouring Ice on Clicktivism,” The Huffington Post, August 20, 2014, accessed May 25, 2017, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ritusharma/stop-pouring-ice-on-click_b_5692555.html.
2. Sidneyeve Matrix, “Social Good,” Lecture, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, May 29, 2017.
3.Miranda Wheeler, “What 5 Great Minds Can Teach Us About on Cynicism and Activism,” The Odyssey Online, March 28, 2017, accessed May 29, 2017, https://www.theodysseyonline.com/5-great-minds-teach-cynicism-
activism.
4.Ibid.
5.Ibid.
6.Alexander White, “Can online environmental activism deliver change offline?,” The Guardian, June 7, 2013, accessed May 23, 2017, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/southern-crossroads/2013/jun/07/online-
environmental-activism-offline-change-clicktivism.
7. Ibid.
8.Ibid.
9.Jessica Emma McLean and Sara Fuller, “Action with(out) activism: understanding digital climate change action,” International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, Vol. 36 Issue: 9/0, pp.578-595, doi: 10.1108/
IJSSP-12-2015-0136, http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJSSP-12-2015-0136.
10.“How the WWF inspires global action with social media,” Hootsuite, accessed May 29, 2017, https://hootsuite.com/resources/case-study/how-the-wwf-inspires-global-action-with-social-media.
11. Marc and Craig Kielburger, “Global Voices: ‘Liking’ must be followed up with real-world action,” Times Colonist, April 12, 2015, accessed May 25, 2017, http://www.timescolonist.com/life/global-voices-liking-must-be-
followed-up-with-real-world-action-1.1820728
12. Jan Van Der Kaaij, “The Dragonfly Effect: How to strategically use social media in sustainability,” Finch & Beak, January 31, 2011, accessed May 27, 2017, https://www.finchandbeak.com/551/the-dragonfly-effect.htm.
13. Sabrina Bresciani and Andreas Schmeil, “Social media platforms for social good,” Digital Ecosystems Technologies (DEST), 2012 6th IEEE International Conference, July 2, 2012, doi: 10.1109/DEST.2012.6227944, p.2.
14. Sidneyeve Matrix, “Digital Literacies,” Lecture, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, May 2, 2017.

25. SOCIAL CONSCIENCE
© ERIN KOWALSKI, 2017
FILM 260 | QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY
A DISCOURSE ON
DIGITAL PHILANTHROPY
AND CLIMATE ACTIVISM
ALL PHOTOS LICENSED UNDER
CREATIVE COMMONS ZERO