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How to talk about climate change with your family during the holidays

Conservation Surge

Here at Shedd, I engage with the aquarium’s guests on a day-to-day basis, helping them look nature in the eye. In my conversations, we talk about anything from dolphin behaviors to environmental issues, like plastic pollution and climate change. It is in these conversations that I’ve learned the importance of listening to what people care about most to help them understand their impact on our blue planet.

Today, as more damning reports on climate change come out, it’s become clearer to me the importance of talking about climate change with people who might not understand it just yet.

According to the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (YPCCC), conversations among peers and family are key to getting people engaged with the issue of climate change. In fact, a 2013 YPCCC survey found that “Americans say their own family and friends have the greatest ability to convince them to take action on climate change.”

Whoever you are and whichever family member you are talking to this holiday season, you can absolutely be the person who makes a difference! Based on my experience and expertise, here are some things that may be of help to you in this important work to combat climate change.

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A family shares a meal around the table during the holidays.

Photo by: © gilaxia/Getty Images

1: Manage your expectations

Take the weight off your shoulders! Do not expect to change their thinking about climate all in one go or that this is your only chance. Think of it more as the first step in what will hopefully be many conversations. Even if that first step is just expressing an interest in talking about climate change with them, that alone is a good start!

2: Come ready to listen; avoid an audience, if you can

Find a moment to have the conversation one on one instead of at the dinner table with the entire family’s ears listening. Whoever you are talking to can then focus on the conversation instead of worrying about the other people around them and what they might be thinking.

Once the conversation starts, build trust and make sure who you are talking to understands that you truly want to understand their point of view. Then ask if you can share your own perspective. If they know that you have actively and honestly listened, they may be more open and willing to listen to what you have to say.

3: Remind yourself that we all, regardless of political affiliation, can act on climate

Conversations about climate change have evolved from “is it real?” to “what is the proper solution?” This is true across the political spectrum. Former Representative Bob Inglis (R-SC) says his mind was changed about climate change through conversations with his son. He created an “eco-right movement” called republicEn to talk to his political party about climate change in a way that aligns with their values and views.

Should you find yourself in conversation with a friend or family member with opposing political views, respectfully listen. Hear their point of view, share yours and consider exploring the resources he and his team have created first.

4: Focus on the personal, not just the facts

Facts and data don’t guide people in emotionally complex decisions, according to research and studies done for the Heartwired to Love the Ocean guide. They make those decisions based on a combination of emotions, lived experiences, values, beliefs and identity.

Tell your family member stories about how climate change has affected you and the people and places you love. Focus on values you share with the person you are talking to, if possible. By telling stories and connecting with people’s lived experiences and values, you can make the connections to your family member’s emotions that makes them open to new information. Holding new attitudes can lead to taking action for things like climate change.

5: Choose hope over worry

In a personal conversation, being hopeful and positive is particularly important. The report from the YPCCC found that people with hope are not only more likely to support policies engaging climate change, they are also more likely to speak to their friends and family about it.

Recognizing that climate change is serious is key, but combining that with confidence in our ability to tackle it and make a difference is also important. Otherwise, why bother if it is all inevitable? What are people doing right now that gives you hope?

—Tim Sullivan, guide with the Aquatic Exploration Team at Shedd Aquarium

Conservation Surge