The Spiral of Silence

Two new studies came out this last week, and they highlight two super important things: how essential it is that we talk about climate change—and how few of us actually are.
 
The first study surveyed 130,000 people in 125 countries around the world. Researchers found that 89% of people want more political action to fight climate change. That’s nearly nine out of ten people! But here’s the surprising part: most of them think they’re in the minority. They underestimate how much others around them care, so they stay silent. As this article explains, they’re caught in a “spiral of silence”—a self-fulfilling belief that no one else cares, so they don’t speak up.
 
The second study zoomed in on why this is. Surveying 3,000 people in the US, researchers discovered that only about 35% talk about climate even occasionally. Lead author Margaret Orr describes it this way: “If no one talks about climate change, people become less likely to talk about it because it is perceived as a taboo topic. The less people talk about climate change, the less it is thought of as a problem, which in turn leads to less action because people don’t care or don’t know what to do about the problem.”
 
So how do we break that cycle? This is the part I love—because the answers line up perfectly with what I share in this newsletter every week! (And no, that’s no accident. This newsletter is designed to share what we most need to know: why climate change matters and what we can do about it.)

This second study found that people are more likely to talk about climate change when:

• they understand the risks (that’s the “not-so-good” section),
• they see that solutions are already happening (that’s what the “good news” is all about),
• they believe their actions matter and that others care too (that’s the “what you can do” section),
• and they see it being talked about in the media (which is why I always include links to stories you can explore and share).

As Tony Leiserowitz from Yale puts it, “One of the most powerful forms of climate communication is just telling people that a majority of other people think climate change is happening, human-caused, a serious problem and a priority for action.”

So here’s your weekly challenge—one I hope you’ll take up not just today, but every week: have a climate conversation. Find something you have in common with the person you’re talking to. Maybe you both love the same sport, live in the same town, or care about your kids' future. Then, talk about how climate change is affecting something you both value—and share a hopeful solution that inspires you. Talking about climate change doesn’t have to be difficult or depressing. Here’s my 2-minute video that explains how—or, if you’d prefer to read it, a short article. 

When we talk about climate, we break the silence. And when we break the silence, we start to change the world.

One Earth One Chance
www.oneearthonechance.com