We know that the way we use language in the public debate often influences which policies or candidates gets supported. Often, the most effective language activates deep-seated circuits or frames in our brains that are about right and wrong. For example, “My country, love it or leave it.” This [...]
I generally stay away from new year’s resolutions. As I get older, they seem less aspirational and more shame-based at some level… lose 10 pounds, exercise more, eat less junk. That sort of thing. But nothing will make me 21 again and resolutions can seem too prescriptive. I’m more [...]
Choose Your Climate Label Carefully... The new House Speaker, Mike Johnson, has been described in headlines by the Guardian, US Energy News, the Hill, and many other media outlets as a “Climate Skeptic.” Most of the articles identify his connection with the fossil fuel industry, and his 100% rating [...]
Why does ExxonMobil get to determine the fate of your kids, family and community? Does this piss you off? Then, I'll get to it in a moment. I want to tell a story first. I was talking to a new member of a climate group recently and asked him [...]
I am a SWIMMER! When I started in the climate movement I went in search of “magic words.” Something simple that I could say that would motivate others to take action. Perhaps you’ve also wished for those words. I found it was a fool’s errand. Not the search for [...]
The Strategy and Language of the Gas Stove Culture Wars So you want to “ban” gas stoves? A firestorm erupted in January over the pollution of gas stoves. As climate activists, we reacted without a solid strategy and without testing the language we are using. Consequently, we may lose [...]
“We can no longer tolerate Republican’s bankrupt delay on climate.” Do you get an image or feeling on the quality of their delay from this sentence? If we want our ideas to spread, we must use words that create images and feelings and connect them to stories and narratives [...]
“We may not know what lies ahead, but it’s only human to search for it.” – Chevron This is the concluding sentence from a recent Chevron ad I saw. Seems innocuous. It’s lofty and inspirational and would likely slip past, except it raised my “cow waste” detector. Not many [...]
There are no magic words. Words that you can say that will make people suddenly understand and then prevent our rapidly unfolding climate chaos. Some words are better than others, but lots of them are just junk. Of course there is more to the climate crisis than words. But [...]
I was talking to a friend the other day and she said, “Can’t people see the climate crisis is real? Our forests are burning. We have the worst air from smoke in the Twin Cities ever.” Of course she was right to ask the question. But my friend was [...]
