Program on the Environment

Concern for the climate crisis is rising and so is the need for a rapid reduction in carbon emissions. In 2020, 61% of Seattle’s carbon emissions came from the transportation sector, which has also led to Seattle having a horrible reputation for traffic. So, one way to reduce a large sector of emissions and reduce city traffic, is by adding more light-rail transit to our city, and to do that we need to effectively communicate with the public! The aim of this study was to evaluate the methods used by Seattle Subways online social media engagements with the public and how the public engages with their social media accounts. To examine their social media engagement, I created an audit of their social media posts, and categorized the top posts (by highest number of likes and by year) focusing on tones, themes, and the target audience of each post. My findings show social media content that is on brand with the mission receive more engagement than post that are less focused on the goals and mission of the organization. My findings also show that conducting audits, surveys, and creating metrics for measuring civic action are very much needed to measure environmental action. My findings show how important effective communication is to creating engaging content for the public, which can facilitate learning and education. Additionally, effective communication can support organizations by helping them to better understand their impacts, which in turn can spur positive environmental impacts.