Save Me!

Energy conservation can seem like relatively mundane subject matter, so it can be a public relations challenge to energize citizens to change their behavior to engage in more sustainable daily practices. Two websites, which have been advertised on television and on popular left-leaning political blogs, are designed to encourage membership in a greener participatory culture. EcoDriving USA defends many of the positions of Barack Obama that were mocked months ago, including maintaining an appropriate tire pressure in one's automobile, although ironically the spokesperson for the website is Republican governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Flex Your Power specifically targets Californians lists of tips in a broader variety of areas involving home and work. It appeals to a logic of "rewards" and "rebates" to draw visitors to the site and keep them coming back.