In the Midwestern suburb where I grew up, my coming of age involved two fathers—one biological and one step-father. They’re business-minded guys with moderate takes on politics (they don’t support Trump yet wouldn’t vote for Bernie either), but both are on the fence about climate change being man-made phenomena.
The debates I have with both men constantly leave me frustrated, with my mom, who’s on my side, reminding me that yelling at them about climate change won’t sway their opinions. But how else can my generation get through to the people closest to us who don’t seem to care that our futures are at stake?
In a country that is currently more divided than ever by intense party loyalty, climate change and the science surrounding it are now a matter of politics. President Trump thinks the crisis we’re in is a hoax—he’s demolished the vital EPA laws the Obama administration created and declared the U.S. will pull out of the Paris Climate Accord. So it comes as no shock that those who support him also typically deny climate science.
Yet the Global Climate Strikes in September proved to the world that the majority of millenials and Gen Z-ers are serious about the crisis we’re in, regardless of political beliefs. Despite the thousands of adults who came to stand with the youth, there’s still work to be done. If you’re like me, with people close to you still doubtful about the anthropogenic causes of the climate crisis, having unheated, mature conversations with them is the best place to start.
I’ve had many failed conversations with my father and step-father that went something like this:
Step-dad: “In the 70’s we were told there was going to be another Ice Age, which never happened. Why should we believe that the climate is drastically changing now when they were wrong before?”
Me: “Because it’s actually happening now! I don’t get what’s not to believe, scientists are telling us this is a crisis with serious effects on the planet!”
Step-dad: “Aren’t there scientists who say it’s not real though? What about them?”
Me: “This is so stupid!,” and then I most likely mumbled something mean under my breath and walked out of the room making sure the entire house heard my door slam.
If I’d handled it calmly rather than getting angry, it would have gone something like this:
Dad: “I grew up in California, there’s always been fires there. Even when people didn’t live there hundreds and hundreds of years ago there were huge fires in the forests.”
Me: “Forests are naturally meant to burn so they can regenerate certain plants like pine but with climate change, California is seeing more droughts making everything incredibly dry. The fires in California will then powerfully increase and make the areas affected unlivable. That’s important because the millions of people who live there will have to migrate to different states, which is another problem in itself and not something those affected probably want to do.”
Dad: “Ah, I see. That makes more sense.”
But above all, it’s important to let them know this is something you care about and to back up your argument with the facts—the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 2018 report will most likely do the trick. And if that doesn’t work, bombard them with unbiased, science-backed articles every day. Better yet, write an entire article about them yourself!
Science has evolved too far for people to stop believing in it now. It lets us understand the stars and planets orbiting around us. It’s cured diseases and prolonged our lives with vaccines. It’s taught us how our very own brains function. The science proving that climate change is beginning to have disastrous effects on the planet and humanity is just as sound. It’s up to us to decide if we’ll let politics get in the way of a safe and healthy future for generations to come.