Mitigation, adaptation, or suffering

Science Moms

Communication is the key to getting people to realize that climate change is real and that each of us has a role to play in repairing our planet. And the sooner the better.

Hayhoe says, “the data tells us the planet is warming. The science is clear that humans are responsible. As former Presidential Science Advisor John Holdren once said, ‘We basically have three choices: mitigation, adaptation, and suffering.’ We’re going to do some of each. The question is what the mix is going to be. The more mitigation we do, the less adaptation will be required, and the less suffering there will be.”

Hayhoe’s TED talk, which has nearly four million views, is a must-watch as it attempts to address the communication barriers between political factions.

The thermometer doesn’t care whether you’re liberal or conservative

Pixabay

When you watch the news, the weather person doesn’t give two different forecasts based on your political affiliation. It’s not as if it’s 98 degrees for the liberals and 72 degrees for the conservatives. That’s why Hayhoe and the Science Moms feel it’s imperative for us all to be on the same page, and that means weaning ourselves off of fossil fuels.

“Some people would rather cut off their arm than give the government any further excuse to disrupt their comfortable lives and tell them what to do. But saying, ‘Yes, it’s a real problem, but I don’t want to fix it,’ that makes us the bad guy, and nobody wants to be the bad guy. So instead, we use arguments like, ‘It’s just a natural cycle.’ ‘It’s the sun.’ Or my favorite, ‘Those climate scientists are just in it for the money.’”

And when it’s cold outside, many naysayers continue to insist that global warming has magically disappeared.

 A threat multiplier

John Englart / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

Hayhoe has always been interested in climate change. She was inspired by her father, who was a science teacher.

Living in West Texas, water is already scarce, plus Texas has the highest carbon emissions of any U.S. state. And being a mother, Hayhoe is concerned about the future for her son and others in his generation.

I’m a Christian. I care about a changing climate because it is, as the military calls it, a ‘threat multiplier.’ It takes those issues, like poverty and hunger and disease and lack of access to clean water and even political crises that lead to refugee crises — it takes all of these issues, and it exacerbates them, it makes them worse.

Start from the heart

Canva

Just about every single person in the world already has the values they need to care about a changing climate. They just haven’t connected the dots.

Approaching climate change from an intellectual perspective might not work for everyone. That’s why Hayhoe believes talking is the key to handling the crisis.

“The most important thing to do is, instead of starting up with your head, with all the data and facts in our head, to start from the heart, to start by talking about why it matters to us, to begin with genuinely shared values. Are we both parents? Do we live in the same community? Do we enjoy the same outdoor activities: hiking, biking, fishing, even hunting? Do we care about the economy or national security?”

‘We can’t give in to despair’

NASA

Hayhoe believes that what we need to repair the planet is “rational hope.”

We can’t give in to despair. We have to go out and actively look for the hope that we need, that will inspire us to act. And that hope begins with a conversation today.

Many positive developments are occurring around the globe.

Incredibly, in Texas, there are already over 25,000 jobs in the wind energy industry. And Hayhoe says that her state is “almost up to [getting] 20 percent of our electricity from clean, renewable sources.” Even the military is getting involved. Fort Hood, the largest army base in the nation, is “powered by wind and solar energy now, saving taxpayers over $150 million.”

What means the most to me personally, though, is when just one person tells me sincerely that they had never cared about climate change before, or even thought it was real: but now, because of something they heard me say, they’ve changed their mind. That’s what makes it all worthwhile.

You can subscribe to Katharine Hayhoe’s YouTube channel for more great videos and climate information.

If you are ready to stand with Hayhoe and the other Science Moms, you can take action today by reaching out to your elected representatives. Science Moms allows you to make your voice heard and demand action with just a few clicks.

⇒ Click here to send a letter to your Senators and Representative RIGHT NOW!⇐

You can also find a plethora of resources to help you start those important climate conversations. Don’t forget to add your name to the list so you can get monthly actions to protect your kids from climate change.

This article was produced and distributed in partnership with Potential Energy Coalition in support of the Science Moms.