Five reasons we canvass door to door

We live in an age of social posts, group texts, web ads and robocalls, channels of communication that allow instant access to lots of people, but with no personal interaction. Yet as you may have noticed, there are people who still go door to door, maybe even in your town, on behalf of our cause and organization. Here’s why we do it. 

Introducing ourselves 

In today’s media, there’s a lot of noise. To break through, many actors rely on flash over substance, or volume over values. 

Whenever possible, we prefer to introduce (or reintroduce) our organization and our mission in person, face to face. Going door to door is the best way to make those conversations possible. 

Based on years of experience, the interactions with people at the door are almost always positive, even when people aren’t able or ready to join us. 

Public education

Our work leads us to take on a wide range of issues, from protecting endangered manatees to getting potentially brain-damaging pesticides out of our food. However, even though these issues are important, they don’t always get the attention they deserve. In today’s political environment, nearly all of the incentives prod our leaders to focus on the short term over the long term. 

By going door to door, we can explain a current environmental problem and its consequences in both the short and long terms, as well as alert you to the solutions. If you walk away from conversation with one of our canvassers with a clearer idea of how pesticides are hurting bees, or the importance of national parks, then we’ve done our job. 

And the education doesn’t just go one way. We love hearing people’s perspectives, because it deepens our understanding of the problems and potential solutions. 

The power of grassroots fundraising 

We don’t take a penny from large corporations. We depend first and foremost on our members for the funds we need to conduct research, educate the public, advocate for solutions, and organize grassroots action. 

The industries and other entities on the other side of our issues always have far more resources than we do, which is why we’re careful with how we spend the money we raise. Our staff know they are in it for the cause, not the paycheck, and we’re constantly evaluating how to spend our dollars to make the biggest impact.   

The power of membership 

Even in today’s gridlocked politics, elected leaders can’t ignore the voices of large numbers of people. Going door to door enables us to build the coalition.

When one of our advocates meets with an elected official, an agency head or a corporate officer, that person knows that there are thousands of people who have invested their concerns, their time and their money in our cause. That’s the power of membership.

The power of grassroots action

When we canvass, we don’t just ask you to become a member and make a donation. We ask you to take action.

You might sign a petition to your senators, or add your name to a public comment on an issue being considered by a government agency. When your action is combined with those of your like-minded neighbors, that’s the power of grassroots action—a power enshrined in the First Amendment to our nation’s constitution.

For many of our members, that action is the first of many more to come. With each new petition signed, phone call made, or meeting or webinar attended, your power as a citizen deepens and expands. And when it comes to the environment, we need all the grassroots action behind us that we can muster.  

Of course, not everybody places a priority on protecting the natural world. But we’re grateful for every opportunity to engage people in discussion about the challenges confronting our environment and we can do to meet them. Perhaps we’ll persuade you. Perhaps you’ll persuade us. When one of our canvassers knocks on your door, listen to what they have to say. I promise we’ll listen to you, too.