Talking about Climate Change/Global Warming
Posted by Lisa Haderlein at 5/21/2007 7:57 AM 
Categories: Conservation, polar bears, Communication, carbon dioxide, Global Warming, Challenge, Other Links
Categories: Conservation, polar bears, Communication, carbon dioxide, Global Warming, Challenge, Other Links
It turns out that how we talk about Climate Change might be the key to motivating more people to actually do something. There is a website out of the UK (United Kingdom) that has tips on communicating about climate change:
Tomorrow's Climate, Today's Challenge
The program's tag line is: Together, this generation will tackle climate change.
They have a lot of good information, including some facts about how people in the UK think about the issue today:
You can review the research if you are interested in more details.
Another UK-based group, the Institute for Public Policy Research has a 32 page report titled "Warm Words" that offers a good discussion of the different ways that people are talking about Global Warming, offering some suggestions for the most effective means of communicating the problem - and solutions.
For instance, don't debate the topic - Global Climate Change is beyond argument - the facts are in and it is a reality, like gravity.
Also, invoke the idea of "ordinary heroism" (which brings to mind the TV series Heroes where seemingly ordinary people have extraordinary abilities that can save or destroy the planet!). For example, saying "Together, we can achieve amazing things!" or invoking the Margaret Mead quote: "Never doubt that a small group of dedicated people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has!"
The fact is that individuals can do amazing things, and just as the TV "Heroes" make choices to use their powers for good or ill, so too can we ordinary heroes! And just as the TV "Heroes" must work together to save the world, when we add up all of the individual efforts each one of us takes, it just might mean saving a way of life for people and polar bears!
Tomorrow's Climate, Today's Challenge
The program's tag line is: Together, this generation will tackle climate change.
They have a lot of good information, including some facts about how people in the UK think about the issue today:
"Most people in the UK think that climate change:
- is confusing – they can't see how it relates to them;
- won't affect them personally;
- is a problem for the future, not now; and
- can't be affected by their individual actions, because the problem is so big. "
You can review the research if you are interested in more details.
Another UK-based group, the Institute for Public Policy Research has a 32 page report titled "Warm Words" that offers a good discussion of the different ways that people are talking about Global Warming, offering some suggestions for the most effective means of communicating the problem - and solutions.
For instance, don't debate the topic - Global Climate Change is beyond argument - the facts are in and it is a reality, like gravity.
Also, invoke the idea of "ordinary heroism" (which brings to mind the TV series Heroes where seemingly ordinary people have extraordinary abilities that can save or destroy the planet!). For example, saying "Together, we can achieve amazing things!" or invoking the Margaret Mead quote: "Never doubt that a small group of dedicated people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has!"
The fact is that individuals can do amazing things, and just as the TV "Heroes" make choices to use their powers for good or ill, so too can we ordinary heroes! And just as the TV "Heroes" must work together to save the world, when we add up all of the individual efforts each one of us takes, it just might mean saving a way of life for people and polar bears!
Comments