005: The Most Important and Easiest Climate Action You Can Take - a podcast by Joan M Gregerson

Time-stamped notes:

[1:00] Taboo subjects not only restrain discussions, but they constrict solutions too

[1:30] All of us can have more conversations about climate action, and that could be the most important climate action we can take.

[2:00] Climate Change in the American Mind report from Yale and George Mason Universities

[2:35] 70% of Americans think global warming is happening

[2:50] 58% believe that global warming is caused in part by human activities

[3:05] Only 15% of Americans understand the scientific consensus on human-caused climate change.

[3:20] We can have more conversations to increase that number.

[3:35] 62% of Americans are at least somewhat worried about global warming.

[3:45] 62% are interested, 45% feel helpless, 41% feel hopeful

[4:00] 61% say global warming is affecting the weather in the U.S. right now

[4:05] 41% say they’ve personally experienced the effects of global warming

[4:15] 71% think global warming will harm future generations

[4:20] 63% feel global warming is important to them personally

[4:30] So, the majority of American adults feel it’s important. You’d think people would be talking about it, but no :-(

[5:10] Only 35% American adults say they discuss global warming with family and friends “often” or “occasionally”. More say they “rarely” or “never” discuss it (65%).

[5:30] One in three don’t talk about it because “it never comes up”.

[5:45] Spiral of silence: We don’t talk about it because it never comes up.

[6:20] Only four in ten Americans (43%) say they hear about global warming in the media at least once a month

[6:30] In the U.S. federal administration, we have people proactively deleting mention of climate change.

[7:00] As individuals, the place we need to start working is having conversation to change hearts and minds.

[7:20] When I drive for Uber, I find ways to talk about climate change through hurricanes, wildfires or changes since youth.

[8:00] Let’s work together on ways to have more conversations. Please leave a comment or question.

Resources:

Climate Change in the American Mind

This report is based on findings from a nationally representative survey – Climate Change in the American Mind – conducted by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (climatecommunication.yale.edu) and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication (climatechangecommunication.org), Interview dates: March 7 – 24, 2018. Interviews: 1,278 Adults (18+). Average margin of error +/- 3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. http://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/climate-change-american-mind-march-2018/

Is There a Climate “Spiral of Silence” in America?

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, September 23, 2016

http://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/climate-spiral-silence-america/

The most important thing you can do to fight global warming: End the climate "spiral of silence."

Joe Romm, Apr 19, 2018

https://thinkprogress.org/the-most-important-thing-you-can-do-to-fight-global-warming-b0cbe1fdf775/

How Much Has ‘Climate Change’ Been Scrubbed From Federal Websites? A Lot.

Coral Davenport, Jan. 10, 2018

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/10/climate/climate-change-trump.html

Thank you for listening!

Discover how to launch and grow a green team in your community. Suggest a topic, get the free Green Team Essentials including online community, avoidable mistakes guide and podcast discussion group at www.GreenTeamAcademy.com. If you like what you're hearing, please subscribe, rate and review!

 

Further episodes of Green Team Academy

Further podcasts by Joan M Gregerson

Website of Joan M Gregerson