Volunteer Resources

Toolkit: Climate2020 Textbank Host Guide

Hosting a Textbanking Party

Thanks for raising your hand to host a textbanking party with Greenpeace! If we are going to see a climate leader elected president in 2020, each and every one of us needs to take action. Below you’ll find everything you need to host a textbanking party. Still have questions? Reach out to us at [email protected] and we can help you out!

Context to the Election

It’s no secret that we’re facing a climate emergency, with climate-linked disasters like wildfires, floods, and storms breaking records, 2020, with crucial elections in November, is going to be pivotal. The good news is that the climate movement has never been stronger or more active, and the public awareness and demand for real ambitious action has never been higher.

2020 is the year we can change course on climate, putting a climate champion in office that will fight for climate justice, champion a Green New Deal, and hold fossil fuel companies accountable for what they’ve done to our climate, our communities, and our democracy. But electing a climate champion is going to be a big job, so we can’t wait until next fall. We’re building off our groundbreaking #Climate2020 scorecard, which ranks every candidates’ climate plan with a new strategy directly mobilizing other Greenpeace supporters community by community. Here’s why:

  • The UN’s main climate science body has shown that we have to cut carbon pollution globally by half by the end of the next decade to avoid catastrophic impacts from climate change (Source)
  • The climate impacts we’re already seeing line up with other social, racial, and economic injustices, disproportionately impacting low-income communities and communities of color. (Source)
  • Even though the science shows that we can’t afford to explore or drill for new reserves of oil and gas, the fossil fuel industry plans to spend $4.7 Trillion over the next 10 years on exploration and extraction in new fields. (Source)
  • According to the Environmental Voter Project, ten million environmentalists sat out the 2016 presidential election… while the election that gave us Trump was decided by 107,000 voters in three states. (Source)
  • Climate change is the number one issue for democratic primary voters this year. (Source)

We can do something about this. So we’re reaching out to fellow Greenpeace supporters and inactive voters who care about the climate to make sure they know where the candidates stand on tackling climate change to ensure we elect a leader who is serious about addressing the crisis on day one. These textbank parties are a great way to bring together people in your community to talk to others in your state and to help grow the movement locally while having an impact nationally. We plan to mobilize Greenpeace members beyond the election, but want to use the momentum of the election cycle to bolster our current organizing.

Before your event

  1. Find a location for your event
    1. The event can happen anywhere from your living room to a union hall or recreation center. Coffee shops and other public spaces work as well, just make sure to get consent from the employees.
  2. Register your event on our website by clicking here
    1. If you need help with creating your event on our site, here is a handy guide that walks you through the event creation process.
    2. Join the host slack to talk to staff and other textbank parts hosts!
  3. Recruit attendees
    1. Depending on the size of the party you want, make a list of folks who may want to join and reach out. Text, email, in-person – any way works! Big or small, these parties are a chance to come together with friends, family and our communities.
    2. Make sure the RSVP to your event – that way we can set them up with Thrutext.
  4. Register for ThruText
    1. ThruText is the software we use to text people. Make sure you – and your attendees – have created an account here: https://greenpeaceusa.thrutext.io/join/1122775904.
    2. Before your party, make sure you have textbanked at least once. Sign up for a practice shift or reach out to Sam at [email protected].
  5. Ensure everyone has a computer or tablet
    The texting software we use to web-based, so everyone will need to have a computer. If you are able to provide computers or tablets that is perfect, but also make sure your attendees bring their own if you are unable to.

Checklist:

  • Computers or Tablets
  • WiFi
  • Places to sit
  • Phone or Camera for photos
  • Food or drinks (optional)

Sample agenda

0:00- 0:20 mins – Welcome and introductions

  • Let people trickle in, sign in, meet each other, and get settled.
  • Make sure everyone RSVPs to the event you created at events.greenpeace.org to make sure they get added to your texting campaign. If folks are unable to sign in there, have them sign in with this sign-in sheet.

0:20-0:30 mins Overview of the campaign and our impact on the 2020 election cycle

  • Sample intro + overview:
  • “Hey Everyone! I wanted to take a few minutes to talk about why we’re here tonight. As we all know, 2020 is going to be one of the most crucial moments for the climate in recent history. It’s where we have the power to elect a climate leader as president – one who says yes to a Green New Deal and No to Fossil Fuels. Our planet doesn’t have time for leaders who are not ready to take dramatic and much-needed action to end the climate crisis. So how are we going to make that happen?Here’s what we know – studies show that there are millions of people out there who care about the climate but didn’t vote in 2016. We also know that one of the best things we can do to change that is talking to them. That’s why we’re here tonight – to kick off those conversations by texting thousands of people in [YOUR STATE], making sure they know about the importance of voting for a climate leader and have the resources to see where each candidate stands on climate.But it doesn’t stop there – across the country we’re going to continue coming together, having conversations and taking action through the end of the primaries. Until every Greenpeace supporter has been contacted. We’ll take the momentum we build there and take it to the General Election. By repeatedly taking action together, we can continue to grow our movement and our impact. And we’ll take that movement past the election and hold our next president accountable to ensure they are doing what’s critical for our climate and communities.”

0:30-:0:50 mins Training/Textbank set up

0:50-:1:00 Final questions/support

  • Before you have everyone start texting, make sure no one is still straggling. Texting is most fun when everyone does it together.
  • Now that folks are set up – take a photo of the group!

1:00 – 2:00 Textbanking!

  • During this hour, everyone will just be texting with their lists. As a host, be sure to make yourself available for questions or troubleshooting!
  • This is the perfect time to talk with folks about how you want to continue to take action together. It could be in your community, with Greenpeace, or a new idea! Another way to ensure a Climate Leader is elected president is bypassing out the scorecard at your polling place. Check out the toolkit together and make a plan!

2:00 – 2:30 Debrief!

  • Allow some time for folks to talk about their experience and share any stories
  • Be sure to take notes to report back with to Greenpeace to help improve future text banks
  • If folks are really energized, make final plans for how you can continue to take action together in the future.  We reccomend deciding on a next date to meet before you leave.
  • If folks are motivated, have everyone sign up (or plan to join together)  the next  Climate2020  Volunteer Call!
  • 2:30 – 3:00 Clean up

After your event

  1. Fill out our feedback form. We want to hear how your party went and what we can do better in the future to help hosts plan and hold their parties.
  2. Send us your pictures to [email protected]! Make sure to post them on social with the hashtag #Climate2020 too!
  3. Reach out to everyone who attended your party and make sure they are signed up for the Climate2020 Call on March 12th – they can RSVP here. 
  4. If you have one, Be sure to email any sign up sheets you get from your event to [email protected] with the subject of the email containing your last name, event city/state, and event date.

RECORDING: How to Host a 2020 Textbanking Party