Thinkshift has added its name to the California Business Alliance for a Green Economy, joining more  than 750 businesses, small and large, that have signed on with the organization. (As has our client, New Resource Bank.) It’s a nonprofit, “created to amplify the business voice in support of policies to help move us toward cleaner energy, less dependence on fossil fuel, and to help us avoid the economic and social disruptions associated with climate change.” The organization supports AB 32, California’s groundbreaking Global Warming Solutions Act.

The Alliance website has good background info, including the March 24 news that the California Air Resources Board analysis of AB 32 shows that it will have a positive effect on the economy and a roundup of op-ed pieces from around the state, both pro and anti.

Go ahead, sign on with the Alliance—it’s an easy way to show your support for a growing, more sustainable economy in the state. Of course, this is a simple step, but every little bit helps, and we think that taking action to develop a clean energy economy is one of the most important things anyone can do to fight pollution and climate change.

I wrote in April about what decision science research tells us about how people respond to environmental issues and what that means for communicators. Now the Center for Research on Environmental Decisions (CRED) at Columbia University has released an illustrated guide to the psychology of climate change communication—handily summarized by Grist blogger Jonathan Hiskes here.

Even if you’re not communicating directly or specifically about climate change, take a look. There are nuggets here that can be useful to people trying to influence behavior on a spectrum of environment-related topics—from clean tech companies trying to get staid industries to adopt new technologies to universities trying to boost participation in campus sustainability efforts.

Much of the advice boils down to the fundamental communications truth—it’s not about you; it’s about your audience. Know who they are, speak their language, put problems and solutions in their context, be concrete, don’t exaggerate, and give people easy ways to act. You’ve no doubt heard these rules before (we certainly can’t shut up about them), but this guide gives you the science behind why you ignore them at your peril, and may give you fresh ideas on how to to apply them.