‘Every word we use is a choice’

The keynote speaker at the BIR convention in Valencia in late May, Michael Maslansky, looked at the importance of using the right words to shape perceptions of our industry. Maslansky is an expert in language strategy. He was involved in the rebranding of the Recycled Materials Association – from ISRI – in the USA.

He said it was vital to build a ‘language of trust’: ‘Just doing the right things is often not enough. When an industry focuses on things that matter to their audience, when they describe them in ways that are easier to relate, people will want to be connected to that industry and to support it.

Changing minds  

‘If we want people to get more involved in sustainability then why do we use language other people don’t understand?’  Maslansky urged messaging that was easy to agree with: ‘You don’t change minds by telling people they are wrong.’  

He showed how concepts can be modified for a more positive effect. Instead of: ‘We reduce the need for virgin materials by processing non-ferrous scrap to create commodity-grade feedstock’, he suggested: ‘We create high-quality recycled materials like aluminium and copper, reducing the need for new mining’.

Easy-to-like messages

The recycling industry should also emphasise beneficial, everyday outcomes for its materials, such as their use in bridges, buildings and vehicles. BIR members were urged to deliver simple and ‘easy-to-like’ messages highlighting how their work was essential to day-to-day living.