…for encouraging action in others

As I stood in a bar, apologizing to my friend for getting a little too intense during our chat about climate change he said something that shocked me.

“Don’t worry Sal. I love that you’re passionate about this. You’re my only friend that cares about this.”

My stomach dropped.

How could that be? I hoped like crazy I wasn’t the only one of his friends that cared 👀

I did some digging. Turns out that 79% of Australians care about #climatechange (Climate of the Nation report, 2020)

So . . . most of us.

But I think many of us feel too scared / too unsure / too overwhelmed to talk about it.

I’ve made a tonne of mistakes over the years trying to talk about the climate crisis. Still do!

I’ve led with a bombardment of facts . . .

I’ve let my anger and fear take over . . .

I’ve talked way more than I’ve listened . . .

Having conversations about this isn’t easy. But as Katharine Hayhoe - one of the world’s best climate communicators says - talking about it is one of the most important things we can do to tackle the climate crisis.

Here are some tips for encouraging action in others.

1. Listen to them

   You need to respect their opinion as much as you want yours to be respected. Give them the space to talk and give their views. Then…

2. Thank them

   Thank them for explaining their view and ask if they’re willing to hear your views/another perspective. Only then (if they say yes), give your input.

3. Keep calm

   The general rule is don’t go flying in all guns blazing (as much as you want to). Never force your views on other people as that only gets their back up & their defenses activated. It’ll actually push them further away than when the conversation started.

   No one likes to be preached at and told they are wrong.

   <Great that’s Papa don’t preach stuck in the head for a while>

4. Have empathy

   Remember there may be a number of reasons they’re not ready to hear your message right now. Perhaps they have to dash off somewhere, they’re stressed, have work issues, family woes, money crises, or anything else taking up their headspace. You need to pick the right time for both of you.

5. Connect with them

   Reflect on the things they care about. Perhaps that’s spending time with their kids, swimming at the beach, or having a safe place to call home.

   Connect with them over something they care about - and help them realise that thing they deeply care about is impacted by our changing climate. These shared values can help us push for collective change.

6. Get them involved

   There’s nothing worse than feeling like you’re trying to tackle something alone, so when you’re seeing signs of them wanting to come on board, don’t just leave them to it alone. Invite them to your local action group, to a family litter pick, to even just come round for a coffee, and to pick your brain. Ask them what would help them take that next step.

7. Check in on them

   With kindness, not guilt. We all like a bit of accountability so get used to asking ‘how are you getting on with X’ and if they are doing great ‘so what’s next?’, if they’re struggling ‘how can I help you?’

8. Be a role model

   The more you can show how you’re thriving in embracing an eco life, the more they’ll be inclined to follow your lead. Be generous with your knowledge and time, and you may just find they thrive in it too.

9. Be the excitable puppy

   ‘Ooooh look at my glorious handbag…you’d never guess it’s made out of waste firehoses?’ (shoutout to Elvis + Kresse), or
   ‘I found this incredible new book that’s blown my mind and helped me make big changes…do you want to borrow it?’, or
   ‘Have you seen my fab new makeup from X? It makes my skin feel as soft as kittens’. <no kittens were harmed in the making of this bad similie>
   In short, get them intrigued to know more about actions they could take that feel fun for them, or just for them, not the kids.

10. Have fun

    As with most of the topics here, have fun with it. Show them how eco-action can be enjoyable for them and the kids, and easy to build into their life.

    Climate change is a big topic but that doesn’t mean we have to be serious in our actions. Get imaginative, playful and silly.

Talking about climate change is one of the most powerful actions we can take.

Your mission today is to go and start a conversation about climate action with someone. I’d love to hear how it goes.