We take you now to State Street and Madison in downtown Chicago on a sunny Friday afternoon in April…
John: (Holding clipboard) Hi, do you have a minute?
Carol: (Pausing) What’s up?
John: (Perking up, surprised) Hi, thanks for stopping! My name is John, what’s yours?
Carol: Hi John, I’m Carol Phillips.
John: Nice to meet you Carol. We’re here to sign up members for Greenpeace, do you know Greenpeace?
Carol: Of course.
John: (Energetically) Greenpeace is the …
Carol: (Interrupting): John, are you a volunteer or paid?
John: (Sheepishly) Paid, but Greenpeace is a great organization, we ….
Carol: Can I ask you a question?
John: Sure….
Carol: What do you do when you’re not here?
John: (Confused) I work…(vaguely) and I have other jobs…
Carol: Are you a student?
John: I graduated last year from (well-known University) in Finance. But there aren’t many jobs so I saw this one in Craig’s List and I’m glad to have it. But it’s tough.
Carol: It keeps you out of your parent’s basement…
John: (Quickly) Oh, I have an apartment.
Carol: Do you have student loans you have to pay as well?
John: (Suddenly looking very worried). Oh yes, a lot. They are on hold until July, but after that I don’t know what I’m gonna do…I had a job out of school as a stock broker, but I quit after a few weeks. I just didn’t feel good about it.
Carol: Very Millennial of you…
John: I felt like one of those guys that got us in all the trouble. I didn’t want to be one of those guys.
Carol: How much does it cost to join Greenpeace today?
John: Most people go for a $1.00 a day or $30 a month.
Carol: $365 a year.
John: No, $30.
Carol: But over a year that’s $365, right, you were in finance…
John: (Smiling again) Right!
Carol: What’s the minimum to join?
John: $15. It’s more about the advocacy than the money.
Carol: Okay, I’ll sign up on the Internet when I get home.
John: (Looking worried now) Well, I have to sign up at least two new members a day to keep my job.
Carol: How many have you signed up today?
John: (Looking very worried) Well, actually none today.
Carol: I have to go make a phone call, I’ll come back if you’re still here, I’ll sign up then.
John: (Disappointed) Oh, we’ll be here, we’re here all day.
Fifteen minutes later…
Carol: Hi, I’m back.
John: (Befuddled) Oh hi, it’s not you, I just had a bad …. it’s so much harder here. I like being on college campuses more. Here no one wants to talk to you. They are so used to being panhandled.
Carol: Yeah, I agree, this is not the best location, why not go to Millennium Park (points down Madison Street).
John: We go where they put us. We’ve got locations all over the city. The people on campuses are so much easier. I like the campuses.
Carol: Have you gotten any more members?
John: No.
Carol: Well sign me up for $30.
John: Oh, great, thanks. Just fill this out.
Carol: Do I have to pay right now?
John: Well, yes. But in all our years, we’ve never had a problem with a credit card. I’ll give you my credit card…
Carol: No, that’s okay. Do you have a card?
John: (Reaching for his credit card)
Carol: No, I mean a business card, so we can stay in touch.
John: No.
Carol: Do you have a Twitter account?
John: No, I’m more of a Facebook user.
Carol: Okay, give me your email, I do market research and maybe I can use you in a study. I’ll be in touch.
John: Great. Thanks.
Carol: Bye
John: Bye!
