Give a public climate talk
Earth Points100 
EaseAmbitious
Description
Talk about it! One of the most impactful things we can all do in response to the climate emergency is talk about it.
While it is certainly good to talk casually to those you are with regularly, it is also great to give a formal, public talk. Local libraries, community centers, places of worship, schools, temples, workplaces, and many other venues would love to host your talk. The public is now hungry for knowledge. You can start the discussion.
While it is certainly good to talk casually to those you are with regularly, it is also great to give a formal, public talk. Local libraries, community centers, places of worship, schools, temples, workplaces, and many other venues would love to host your talk. The public is now hungry for knowledge. You can start the discussion.
Tips
• Get some inspiration from watching others talk about the topic. Just remember, everyone brings their own voice, so figure out what feels authentic to you.
• If slide presentations are your thing, great climate slide decks are easier than ever to find online.
• Consider speaking from different roles. For example, you can present some science, and then explain how it makes you feel (speaking as a human!) and then discuss some solutions (speaking as a citizen!). Climate science is not just for climate scientists anymore. It is your planet, too.
• Allocate half the time for your talk, and half the time for discussion with the audience.
• Q&A can be intimidating for inexperienced speakers. It is OK to say "That is a great question, but I do not know!" or "That is a great question, what do the rest of you think?" After a few talks you will realize Q&A is not scary, but is instead the most fun part of the evening.
• Bring your unique angle to your talk — whatever that is for you.
• Connecting with local climate action groups can help you prepare for a presentation. For example, the Climate Reality Project holds conferences globally that help people learn more about the climate emergency and prepare to give presentations. They have slides that you can use to craft your own presentation.
• Above all, express whatever it is that climate breakdown has you feeling. Do not suppress, express!
• If slide presentations are your thing, great climate slide decks are easier than ever to find online.
• Consider speaking from different roles. For example, you can present some science, and then explain how it makes you feel (speaking as a human!) and then discuss some solutions (speaking as a citizen!). Climate science is not just for climate scientists anymore. It is your planet, too.
• Allocate half the time for your talk, and half the time for discussion with the audience.
• Q&A can be intimidating for inexperienced speakers. It is OK to say "That is a great question, but I do not know!" or "That is a great question, what do the rest of you think?" After a few talks you will realize Q&A is not scary, but is instead the most fun part of the evening.
• Bring your unique angle to your talk — whatever that is for you.
• Connecting with local climate action groups can help you prepare for a presentation. For example, the Climate Reality Project holds conferences globally that help people learn more about the climate emergency and prepare to give presentations. They have slides that you can use to craft your own presentation.
• Above all, express whatever it is that climate breakdown has you feeling. Do not suppress, express!
Additional Resources
• A nice warm-up might be to talk with family members first. For example, tips on how to craft your message can be found at https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-talk-to-your-paren_b_3556286.
• https://skepticalscience.com/ provides the facts to help argue against climate denialism, if needed. Just make sure you phrase it in your own words, showing concern, and not with negative emotions.
• https://skepticalscience.com/ provides the facts to help argue against climate denialism, if needed. Just make sure you phrase it in your own words, showing concern, and not with negative emotions.
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Photo Credit
Photo by Nycholas Benaia on Unsplash