We are rapidly approaching the day when climate change could become irreversible. Rising sea levels are already altering our coastlines, and pollution in cities like Beijing is reaching its worst levels ever. Scientists predict that 5% of species will become extinct due to changing climates. Glaciers are melting and sea levels are rising at alarming rates. As a conservation scientist, I am deeply concerned about these issues. However, I believe we need to change the way we talk about climate change. The doom-and-gloom messaging is not working; it seems to make people want to tune it out.
Fear and guilt, emotions often associated with climate change, are not conducive to engagement. They make people passive, leading them to withdraw from the issue and focus on something else that makes them feel better. With a problem as overwhelming as climate change, it’s easy to turn away and leave it for someone else to deal with. This is a major challenge for scientists and policymakers. Many Americans still see climate change as a distant problem, both in time and space. It’s seen as something that will impact future generations or distant countries, not something that affects us here and now.
We have faced enormous, scary climate issues before and overcome them. Take the hole in the ozone layer, for example. In the 1970s and ’80s, this seemed like an insurmountable problem. However, people were able to understand the issue and take action. The term “ozone hole” gave people a concrete image of the problem. They understood that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), used in many products like aerosol spray cans, were destroying the ozone layer. This led to a significant drop in the sales of these products. Now, scientists predict that the hole in the ozone layer will be healed by 2050.
While stopping the use of one product is relatively easy, dealing with climate change caused by greenhouse gases is much trickier. The sources are more complicated and, for the most part, invisible. CO2, a major contributor to climate change, is pouring out of tailpipes, buildings, and smokestacks, but we can’t see it. This invisibility makes the problem seem less urgent. If CO2 was black, we would have dealt with this issue a long time ago.
One way to combat this is by making our energy use visible. UCLA’s Engage project, one of the nation’s largest behavioral experiments in energy conservation, aimed to do just this. The research team outfitted part of a student housing complex with meters that tracked real-time usage of appliances. They then sent the students weekly reports, allowing them to see how much energy each appliance used. This led to changes in behavior, such as unplugging the dishwasher when not in use and air-drying clothes during the summer months.
The Engage project also explored the power of social competition. They hung posters around a dorm building to publicly showcase how students were doing in terms of energy use. This social pressure approach led to a 20% reduction in energy use. A company called Opower has also used this strategy, providing personalized energy reports to millions of customers around the world. These reports show consumers not only their energy use but also how it compares to their neighbors’. This subtle social pressure has been so effective that in 2016, Opower was able to generate the equivalent of two terawatt-hours of electricity savings.
These behavioral “nudges” seem to be advancing how we as a society deal with climate change. However, there is no “quick fix.” We need broader-scale change. This includes changing companies, business models, products, and services. It also includes embracing what makes us human. We need to move away from guilt-tripping about dying polar bears and gas guzzlers and start talking about our wins, like how we’re making progress and being aware of our energy use. We need to take advantage of our competitive spirit to move from a state of apathy to action.
Global warming is the biggest issue of our time. Climate Lab is a new series from Vox and the University of California that will explore surprising ways we can tackle this problem. To learn more, visit climate.universityofcalifornia.edu.
Use an online climate change simulation tool to visualize the impact of different variables on global temperatures. Adjust factors like CO2 emissions, deforestation rates, and renewable energy adoption to see how they affect future climate scenarios. Discuss your findings with your classmates and propose actionable steps to mitigate climate change.
Conduct an energy audit of your home or school. Track the energy usage of various appliances and devices over a week. Create a report detailing your findings and suggest ways to reduce energy consumption. Share your report with your class and discuss the potential impact of these changes on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Participate in a structured debate on climate change policies. Divide into teams and argue for or against specific policies such as carbon taxes, renewable energy subsidies, or fossil fuel bans. Use data and research to support your arguments. This activity will help you understand the complexities and trade-offs involved in climate policy-making.
Study the history of the ozone layer crisis and the global response that led to its recovery. Create a presentation that outlines the key actions taken, the role of international agreements like the Montreal Protocol, and the lessons learned. Discuss how these lessons can be applied to current climate change challenges.
Develop a social media campaign to raise awareness about climate change and promote sustainable practices. Create engaging content such as infographics, videos, and posts that highlight positive actions people can take. Use the power of social competition by encouraging your peers to share their own sustainable actions and tag friends to do the same.
Climate change – The long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place. – The effects of climate change are becoming increasingly evident, with more frequent and severe storms occurring worldwide.
Approach – A way of dealing with something or someone. – The best approach to solving this problem is through open communication and collaboration.
Irreversible – Impossible to change back or recover. – The damage caused by deforestation is irreversible and will have long-lasting impacts on the ecosystem.
Rising sea levels – An increase in the average level of the ocean’s surface. – The city’s coastal areas are at risk of flooding due to rising sea levels caused by global warming.
Pollution – The presence of harmful substances in the environment, often caused by human activities. – The factory’s improper waste disposal is leading to increased pollution in the nearby river.
Species – A distinct form of life, such as animals, plants, or microorganisms. – The Amazon Rainforest is home to an incredibly diverse range of species.
Glaciers – Huge masses of ice that move slowly over land. – The melting of glaciers contributes to the rise in sea levels and poses a threat to coastal communities.
Conservation scientist – A professional who studies and works to protect the environment and its resources. – The conservation scientist conducted research on endangered species and proposed conservation strategies.
Psychology – The scientific study of the mind and behavior. – Understanding the psychology behind human decision-making is crucial in addressing environmental issues.
Engagement – The act of being involved or participating in something. – The community’s engagement in recycling programs has significantly reduced waste in the area.
