The midterm elections are just around the corner, and many Americans are beginning to have political discussions with their friends and families, colleagues, and communities. Amongst a myriad of voting concerns is climate change. And, even though it might not be many Americans’ top concern, it is high concern nonetheless. A majority of Americans are concerned about climate change, but believe it can be a difficult subject to discuss — especially in this era of hyper-polarization. They are seeing the effects of extreme weather events at their doorsteps and are worried about what the future holds, no matter their political affiliation.
Climate change is too important an issue to ignore, and Americans need to know they’re not alone in their concern. Whether they publicly admit it or not, they want to know what candidates are saying and doing on climate. And, they want to know how to make a difference, including how to talk about the issue in context of voting.
As voters, if we really want to make a difference in climate change, we need to vote accordingly, and speak about it with those around us. Voters need to know that when they vote for climate candidates, they are voting for a better future on multiple fronts. The economy, public health, immigration are all made better through climate action, however we need the communication tools to communicate these connections.
Elections are one of the great opportunities that we as Americans have to steer the trajectory of climate action. The choice is whether we stay home on election day, and let others choose that future, or if we vote to make a difference for the health and wellbeing of our families, our children, and future generations. To make the greatest impact, we must communicate with those around us about the importance of moving towards a better climate future.
With so much at stake, it is imperative that we are all empowered with the tools to communicate effectively about climate solutions in the context of electoral politics. ecoAmerica’s October Talking Points provide another guide for your climate communication toolkit — Talking about Voting and Climate Change: Why I’m Voting for Climate Solutions Candidates.