Shouting, name calling and other insights from #worldwatertech.

A few years ago I read a book called “Why everybody is shouting and nobody is talking”. It explains the temporary red mist some individuals have about a cause only for them to quickly forget and be angry again by something else. It’s fantastically provocative and well worth a read. It feels a bit like that in the water industry at the moment.

It was at #worldwatertech this week and listening to Sir James Bevans speech that I was reminded of this book. He very aptly said “Let’s have the water debate on the basis of the facts not assertions – and there are some wild assertions, myths and outright untruths flying around.” And he’s right, I’ve yet to see a news article reporting that the industry created Spring , an organisation to fast track innovation and collaboration, or that sewage treatment works now discharge 67% less phosphorus and 79% less ammonia into rivers than they did in 1995 or that bathing waters around our coasts are in the best state they have been for decades. We all know why, it doesn’t make for good clickbait.

Whilst anger occasionally causes action, when Joe Bloggs or Farmer Gemma are busy hating on water companies, they aren’t thinking about how they might be able to improve their own water behaviours. And we need Mr Bloggs and Farmer Gemma. Behaviour change is a huge hurdle and unlike Sir James said, often not free. If we’re going to turn the dial and be the generation to leave the planet in a better state than when we found it, we all need to work, change, and improve, together. Citizens, farmers, regulators, water companies, everyone. Can the media make that point sexy please?

Now, onto the name calling, and it’s here you’ll realise that my title was my own attempt at clickbait. But on the topic, is there a book or TedTalk somewhere that says when talking to someone one to one you should use their names as many times as possible? If there is, I’d like to have my own debate with that person. Please don’t do this, use someone’s name once if you want some kudos for having remembered, or if you want to try remember it. Any more than one or two doesn’t make you sound like you’re doing a TedTalk, it makes you sound like a different Ted, a murderous one.