Thanksgiving dinner is a beloved American custom wherein thankfulness is served alongside mashed potatoes and stuffing, and occasionally, a heated argument with your uncle who wears a pilgrim hat about whether climate change is a hoax or a real threat to the planet and humanity.
The stakes are bigger than ever because 2024 is predicted to break all previous records for global temperatures, making it the hottest year on record for the whole world. The dreaded 1.5-degree Celsius (2.7F) threshold, which has been the cumulative global temperature rise since before the Industrial Revolution, will probably be broken this year for the first time.
The metaphorical target, according to scientists, is the increasing frequency, unpredictability, and danger of extreme weather events like storms, droughts, floods, and wildfires. Additionally, they anticipate that the breach would drive mankind past irreversible tipping points that will alter weather patterns, jeopardize ecosystems and species, and seriously jeopardize our food and water systems.
It is impossible to overlook the effects. Twenty-four distinct billion-dollar weather catastrophes set a new record in 2024, and climate-related disasters cost the US more than $61.1 billion in the first ten months alone. According to federal records, since 1980, the United States has seen 400 disasters that have cost more than $1 billion (inflation adjusted) and incidents that have cost $2.785 trillion.Since 2010, more than 80% of those expenses have been incurred.
With Uncle Joe’s scathing criticism of climate denial, your dad’s ferocious support of fossil fuels, and Aunt Karen’s scalding contempt for electric vehicles, navigating these discussions can feel like stepping into Dante’s Inferno. There is a method to survive with your dignity and takeaway dessert intact, so don’t worry, daring dinner guests.
Experts in climate communication advise addressing these discussions with evidence and empathy.
Even if someone throws cranberry sauce to you and says that you should be thankful for fossil fuels for powering the Industrial Revolution, a 2023 Climate Access discussion gives some simple and polite advice you should attempt to follow. The secret is to maintain factual focus even while feelings are running strong.
Moderator and Climate Access deputy director Meredith Herr, geologist and scientific journalist Karin Kirk, and panelist Arunima Krishna, an associate professor at Boston University, advise listening before engaging loved ones. Pay attention to what others are saying and what false information they have encountered. Given the abundance of false information being spread to diverse groups both domestically and internationally, this is extremely important.
The experts advise showcasing communal accomplishments and sharing personal stories. While challenging their sources, pose intelligent queries regarding other people’s viewpoints. Make an effort to meet with them on issues where there is likely to be some consensus, like guaranteeing clean water, air, and more affordable electricity.
If you’re speaking with someone who doesn’t care about those crucial aspects of human survival, you might need to end the conversation. If you need to divert attention, say aloud that the turkey is undercooked or act as though you are choking on your food. Both work quite well.
Naturally, all of this civility might be challenging if there are more people than you and they are hesitant to interact with you in a polite manner.
According to a climate change discussion guide authored by a number of environmental scholars and advocates for the Yale Center for Environmental Communication, you are also not required to continue the conversation. They also advise you to try to persuade your loved ones to adopt a plant-based diet, reduce their travel and driving, and become activists.
All right.
You have to face the swirling mess of denial and ignorance head-on sometimes, typically because of wine. However, you’ll need a plan as intricate as Dante’s journey through hell.
With ratings ranging from Gluttony (lighthearted) to Wrath (direct) and, if you’re feeling particularly heated, Treachery (sharp and snarky), here are some reactions to climate change denial assertions you could hear at the Thanksgiving table.
Make a sensible decision about your course.
Housewife Serving Lunch: Dinner on the Dog (Getty Images)
Climate change is natural; it s been happening for millions of years.
Gluttony:Are you certain? Although there have been previous climate changes, the current rate is hundreds of times quicker than anything that would occur naturally. Do you not find that odd and concerning?
Wrath: Although variations in the climate have always occurred, they used to occur across hundreds of thousands or even millions of years. Due to human actions like burning fossil fuels, we are currently witnessing unparalleled speed. Naturally? Not likely.
Treachery: You’re basically claiming that you don’t comprehend even high school-level science if you believe that the billions of tons of CO2 that humans release into the atmosphere each year isn’t an issue. A greenhouse gas called carbon dioxide absorbs heat that tries to escape into space while allowing sunlight to enter Earth’s atmosphere. It’s similar like covering the earth with a blanket.
Bonus: Although too much CO2 causes drought, crop failures, and harsh weather due to trapped heat, it does aid in plant growth. Plants don’t thrive in those conditions.
Scientists don t even agree on climate change.
Gluttony:Approximately 97% of climate scientists concur that human activity is causing climate change. That seems like a really strong consensus, doesn’t it?
Wrath: That’s simply incorrect. Based on a wealth of independent data, the vast majority of climate specialists concur that humans are impacted by climate change. Acting differently overlooks the truth.
Treachery: If you believe that 3% of fringe scientists are more knowledgeable than 97% of experts, I’m going to assume that you would also follow medical advice from YouTubers rather than your physician. That is denial on a whole other level.
Humans can t change the climate it s too big.
Gluttony: Is it what you truly believe? Since the Industrial Revolution, human activity has caused CO2 levels to rise by more than 50%. It’s been measured.
Wrath: No. Massive changes, such as melting glaciers, rising sea levels, and warmer temperatures, are caused by human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation. Simply examine the evidence; it is indisputable.
Treachery: To claim that people have no influence over the climate is like to asserting that a match cannot ignite a forest inferno. For ages, people have been setting this globe on fire with just a small spark.Because of their tiny size and fragility, our weather systems can be greatly impacted by seemingly harmless temperature fluctuations. Approximately 90% of tropical storms form in water that is 79 degrees or warmer. Since it’s extremely chilly, not many grow there.
The rules of nature are the subject of very specialized study. According to them, precise alterations take place, for instance, when external factors became hotter or colder.At 212 degrees, freshwater boils, but not at 210. At 31 degrees, it is still water, but at 32 degrees, it freezes. Between 97.5 to 99 degrees is a good range for body temperature. However, if you’re one degree higher, you might be sick or infected. You are undergoing a medical emergency and hypothermia at 95 degrees.What would be the difference between little rises in the planet’s average temperature? Consider it.
Considering that billions of people use fossil fuels for transportation and energy, I believe we have a significant impact.
We can t rely on renewables they re too expensive and the sun doesn t shine at night.
Gluttony:Wind and solar energy are now more affordable than coal and gas in many locations.That makes them worth taking into account for lower energy costs, doesn’t it?
Anger:That’s an old way of thinking. Renewables are becoming more affordable, dependable, and cost-competitive.It will be considerably simpler to capture electricity for days when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing as battery storage and grid technology develop. Furthermore, the actual economic drag is fossil fuels.
Treason:Are you suggesting that we should continue using costly, polluting energy that is running low? Refusing a smartphone because rotary phones were still in use in the 1950s is equivalent to that.
Green energy policies will ruin the economy and cost jobs.
Gluttony:Particularly in solar and wind, I’m fairly certain that renewables provide more jobs than fossil fuels. That would boost the economy, wouldn’t it?
Wrath: In reality, thousands of jobs in manufacturing, installation, and maintenance are already being created by green energy. As the economy progresses, the fossil fuel sector is contracting.
Treachery: Why not revive typewriters and VHS tapes while you’re at it, if holding onto dying industries is your wise policy idea? Renewable energy jobs are the way of the future. And you know what?Elon Musk concurs.
Electric cars are just as bad as regular cars because of the materials and energy they use.
Gluttony:That’s intriguing. Even with today’s energy networks, I believed that electric automobiles will emit fewer pollutants over the course of their lifetimes than gas-powered vehicles. While we work to enhance energy sources, aren’t these at least a positive step?
Wrath: In fact, research indicates that electric vehicles are far cleaner over time, especially when material sourcing and coal-fired electricity are taken into consideration. Additionally, efforts are being made to enhance battery procurement and recycling procedures, which is more than can be said for vehicles that run on fossil fuels.
Treason:Do you mean that your answer is to continue driving gas-powered vehicles, which use fuel every mile, indefinitely? As kids graduate from school, they poison their lungs. They jeopardize the health of entire communities, such as those adjacent to ports and interstates. That’s like claiming that because salads occasionally arrive in plastic containers, eating fast food is acceptable. Nothing will change if we keep waiting for perfection. Do you believe that the early personal computers or the printing press were flawless? They weren’t wanted. The world was altered by them.
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