Dr. Jennifer Carmen, from the Yale Program for Climate Change Communications, spoke to the April meeting of CCL about findings from their latest research.  (Video of talk – 19 mins.)

She reminded us about the attitudes measured by the Yale/George Mason national survey, which breaks US adults (and subcategories by geography, demographics, political affiliation and likely voting) into “Six Americas.”

The percentage of Americans who are now either Alarmed or Concerned has been growing over time, from 50% in 2019 to 58% in September, 2021.   These findings are consistent with the latest Pew findings.

Here is the big news: Americans are getting increasingly “active” in pressing government and industry to address the climate crisis.  Not only that, but 46% of the “Alarmed” category (which is 33% of the total population) is WILLING TO GET ACTIVE IF ASKED.

The obvious prescription for people who are already active on climate solutions is:

1.  Talk with friends, neighbors … anyone who will listen … about climate.  Don’t let a conspiracy of silence doom the future.  And
2. Ask them to get involved.

What’s the ASK?

Simple.  Empower them, first to do something, anything frankly.  Get them moving.  It can be something simple like emailing or calling Congress or the President.  It could be signing up to call or write monthly.  Stay close to those first efforts.  Give positive support and appreciation to get them into the “virtuous circle” of action–>positives–>energy–>more action.  Perhaps they join CCL (or other climate group they feel more kinship with).  Whatever.  The key is to get started.  And then “edge out” to do more as one’s comfort zone increases.

So ASK them.  You’ll advance the climate cause AND you’ll give your friend a positive thing in their lives.