Open Thread | How do you talk to your family and friends about the climate crisis? Other existential challenges?

Somehow September is coming to an end already. For many this time of year can mean bracing for a slew of holiday celebrations with families and friends. Holidays can be an opportunity to connect with people who hold different perspectives and world views. While this can make them an especially charged time, it can also make them an incredible chance to break out of our “bubbles”.

Usually with some baseline amount of trust and familiarity, research suggests conversations with friends and family might actually be a very influential approach to engaging on decisive issues.

But how should we talk about the climate crisis? About the other existential challenges facing society? What kinds of conversations actually work to change minds, and should we even be aiming to change minds in the first place?

There are a few resources below that provide some suggestions, but we would also love to hear your thoughts and experiences through the comments section.

How to talk to your friends about the climate crisis –  according to science from The Climate Reality Project

Scientists, Stop Thinking Explaining Science Will Fix Things by  Tim Requarth in Slate

Kitchen Table Conversations from the Great Transition Initiative

The Human Library

One piece I hope to keep at the forefront of my mind is that conversations are a chance to listen as much as they are to talk. With that, please use the comment section below to share your thoughts.