Author and Nature Conservancy Chief Scientist Katherine Hayhoe said most Americans, despite political affiliations, are very concerned about the impacts of the changing climate. She said talking more about climate change is much needed and doesn’t mean trying to convince others it exists.
“Over 70% of us are already worried. Over 83% of mothers are already worried. Over 86% of young people are already worried. But 50% of us feel hopeless and helpless and don't know where to start, and only 8% of us are activated. So, the goal of these conversations is not to have an argument with Uncle Joe, who's always posting on Facebook about how Arctic Sea ice isn't melting and the scientists are just making this up.”
Hayhoe is an atmospheric scientist studying why climate change matters. She’s received multiple environmental awards and has been named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, Foreign Policy magazine’s Leading Thinkers, Fortune magazine’s World’s Greatest Leaders, and the United Nations Champion of the Earth in Science and Innovation.
Hayhoe told KPCW that most people don’t know what to do about climate change.
“And when we start to look around, we realize that there's lots we can do. We can reduce our food waste and encourage the cafeteria where we work or where we go to school to reduce their food waste too. Try a plant-based recipe and encourage everybody we know to try it too, swap out our light bulbs, plug in our cars. And, most of all, share what we're doing with everybody around us and use our voices to hold our elected officials accountable too.”
Hayhoe said many conservatives are concerned about climate change, and the health and economic effects of it don’t take people’s voting records into account.
“Climate change is incredibly politically polarized. It didn't start that way. I mean, a thermometer doesn't give you a different answer depending on how you vote, and a wildfire doesn't knock on the door of your house and say, excuse me, who did you vote for in the last election before it burns down your house? This drought is no respecter of anyone, regardless of how they vote. Everything we have depends on this planet.”
Hayhoe said when people talk about water, air quality, clean energy, and the economy, they can speak from the heart and find common ground.
“We have to recognize what's at stake here is not the planet itself. It is the future of human civilization. And if we don't wean ourselves off fossil fuels as soon as possible, as much as possible, if we don't invest in nature, through smart ag [agriculture] and through conservation to take carbon out of the atmosphere, and if we don't build resilience to the impacts that are already here today, it's not the planet. It's us that's going to suffer.”
She said the technology might change someday; until then, all power is expensive, but humans will pay a high price for continuing to use fossil fuels.
Find the full interview with Katherine Hayhoe on KPCW.org.
