"Canvassing."

It's never a pretty word to hear. Most associate the act with lowlife salespeople looking for nothing more than monetary contribution from others—a portion of which goes towards their commission, which is their primary form of compensation. In this sense, many don't find this type of occupation particularly appealing, and often steer clear of any sort of door-to-door gig.

Like the opinion of the majority, I didn't exactly view canvassers in a positive light. So when I got hired to an environmental grassroots campaign group, I was mildly aware and wary of the canvassing aspect. But I'm the type of person who doesn't knock it until she tries it (within reason, of course), so I figured it was a position worth pursuing.

So writing from firsthand experience, I'm here to inform you that despite the negative stigma surrounding canvassing, there's also this sort of social art form to it that makes it more than just a lowball act.

I've recently left my position due to non-work related reasons, but in the short time that I canvassed, I understood that the particular subject I advocated door-to-door was atypical. I was selling an idea, rather than a product; that alone made it all the challenging to rally support and contributions from community members. My foremost goal was to educate the public, not "sell" it to them.

I won't go into much further detail, but what I promoted was an issue bigger than myself. See, when something as broad as environmental legislation is in discussion even at a community level, it can very well extend to involving the state and the nation. This not only makes the topic bigger than myself, but also bigger than everybody else.

That's what motivated me to truly believe in the cause, and what helped me overlook the "lowliness" of canvassing for it, even given the low pay, rude people and high contribution quota. I certainly wasn't in it for the money; rather, I was in it for the world.

Through my experience, I'm now able to persuade people in a concise and passionate manner. Of course, half of it's being a good canvasser and the latter pure luck. But, you also never know if supplementing your rap (pitch) with that factually sound, strong and effective rebuttal about, say, a local and largely unknown oil spill causing adverse human health issues and climate change effects could make that person all the more willing to support your cause, and make a small contribution to further fund your organization's campaign.

I've also realized the importance of being in tune with the world around me. Rather than the occasional glance-through, I now do a thorough check of the news every evening, and have been holding discussions with friends and family reflecting on these current events in order to bring into my awareness varying perspectives to my own.

After all, politics influence the way in which we live, and the world in which we live in. Without policy, there'd be no order or advancements made to humanity.

Look, I'm not writing this to promote canvassing, or demean it. While canvassers may be an annoyance to open your door to after a long day at work or during a relaxing weekend, they're just people doing their jobs, after all.

So if you're met by a canvasser and cannot make a contribution at the time of the interaction, basic human decency goes a long way. Offer them a bottle of water, a granola bar or even just light conversation. It certainly takes having tough skin to do these community outreaches, but you never know how many miles they've walked thus far going door-to-door, or how many rude remarks and doors slammed in their faces they've already had to endure that day. You can very well be that one person who makes their day just a tad bit better.

Regardless of the lack of courtesy surrounding canvassing, there does lie some merit in fundraising through its face-to-face, one-on-one interactions. In my organization, these put direct pressure on state legislators to make beneficial environmental policies, and withdraw the harmful ones. And to me, fighting for environmental justice was (and still is) so much more rewarding than cutting a handsome paycheck.

After being a canvasser myself, I now have a greater appreciation for my fellow door-to-door community outreachers. I know it's hard work being out on the turf. So as you walk up to the next doorstep, just remember this: Money follows passion, and passion comes from the heart. Take a deep breath, give your best smile and go get 'em, canvasser.