I hope this email finds you all enjoying a happy and fulfilling Thanksgiving day with friends and family. Gatherings such as today’s offer the opportunity/challenge of doing the one thing that many climate activists advocate for us all to do – 

TALK ABOUT CLIMATE. 

Last week’s article from Yale’s Program on Climate Change Communication notes that while roughly 2/3’s of people are concerned about climate change, fewer then 1/3 of people talk about climate change on any regular basis. 

The Yale article is based on research reported in this POLS article that notes “perceived social norms, worry about global warming, perceived risk, and exposure to global warming in the media” are “important predictors of global warming discussion” with family and friends.  So, if you know what is going on share your perspective with others. You’ll likely find a more receptive audience than you think. The articles offer some resources to make the discussions easier and more productive. I found the following short YouTube video of particular value.

     3 strategies for effectively talking about climate change

So, enjoy your Thanksgiving get togethers, reconnect with family and friends, and spark new connections with a friendly discussion about climate action.

As always, I invite your thoughts about this email. And, if you do have some climate conversations, I’d love to hear how they went.

Cheers, Bill