Climate change is already causing death and destruction. Greenhouse gas emissions are still rising. Without urgent, drastic action, experts predict the collapse of society.
But what can you do? The most important thing is to talk about it.”
Why? Because people care more about the things their social groups talk about. When enough people care, change happens.
The experts agree. Research by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication found that talking about climate change helps “spread awareness and raise concern to the society-wide levels that get policymakers’ attention.”
Your family, friends, co-workers, neighbours… are influenced more by what you have to say than anyone else.
No one can make them think about climate change and inspire them to act like you can.
Also, when you talk about climate action, the people you talk to tend to talk to other people too.
It’s called social norming and it’s powerful. It will start a self-sustaining cycle of conversations – pretty soon, everyone will be talking about climate action.
The more people talk about the need for drastic climate action, the faster it will happen.
Climate communication expert, Adam Corner, PhD, said “Climate conversations – which place climate change in the context of people’s lives – are crucial for catalysing deeper public engagement and as a result faster political action on climate change.”
Try to have a climate conversation with someone every day. It doesn’t need to be long. It doesn’t need to be perfect. Every chat plays a small part in breaking the silence, nudging our culture and making change.
Here are some tips: