The wife of a friend of mine died suddenly when she was 40. The mother of an eight-year-old, our daughters were the same age and shared an interest in horses. She was an English teacher, and we both loved books and reading. We’d escape parties to talk about what [...]
Natural Gas, Fossil Gas, or Methane… Which Should We Use? Reality and truth should be bedrocks in climate communications, but what we believe often informs reality. Words influence these beliefs and thus our collective reality. Choose words that unconsciously activate the wrong neurons in the brains of our audience [...]
You remember the ones. The scene of the soldier hitchhiking though a blizzard to make it home for Christmas. His mother waiting, holding his worn photo in her hand and brushing it gently. The joy on her face as he enters her kitchen. Then the hug. Wait for it. [...]
As a climate champion, do you know how to use this one tip... a values sandwich, to get action on your climate projects? What’s a values sandwich, and how can it help our climate causes? This communication tip works just as well for Uncle Ralph at Thanksgiving as stopping [...]
I have a friend who wanted to get involved in the climate movement and wondered what organizations would be appropriate for his interests? I asked him some questions, one of which was… how would he describe himself? He answered, “Well, you know me. I’m no tree hugger.” Ouch. It’s [...]
(Photo by Angus Mordant/www.angusmordant.com ) If you are a climate activist, or care about what happens to the earth or environment, then read this carefully. Our democracy is on the endangered species list. It is dying. And when it does, there will be no hope for the climate, ourselves, or [...]
“You need to lighten up a little.” “I’m not angry.” “Yes, you are.” “No! I’m not!” This is a conversation I observed between my daughter and her 10 year-old. It reminds me that no one likes to be told what to do. Not kids, and not adults. Telling people [...]
The other day I was talking to my daughter on the phone when I noticed a subtle change in her reaction to the pandemic. I believe this also applies to the climate crisis. She said she’d just gotten back from a run to Target with her youngest daughter and [...]
Warning: Nerd Alert. Nerd Alert. (But I'll make this easy.) Ever wonder why some of your climate communications work better than others? Some emails get more opens. Some campaigns get more calls to your elected officials. Some fundraising gets more responses? Once you master this secret magic formula, it [...]
We Need to Pivot to Our Own. I am giving testimony to an administrative law judge on the impact of climate change on Minnesota crops, and why we shouldn’t allow a dirty tar sands pipeline to be built in our state. There are three hundred people in the room. [...]
