By Debbie Bryant, Chapter Outing Chair
Many of us are unsure how to communicate with climate deniers these days. My experience has been that there’s still one arena where we can communicate in a friendly way – on a hike or outing. We don’t lecture on the trail, but some participants bring things up and it’s appropriate to briefly address them.
Sierra Club events are publicized everywhere and are free to all. This provides one of the few remaining opportunities to interact and lightly influence people of different mindsets.
For example, on hikes I have heard comments like “all recycling just ends up in the landfill anyway.” The need to breathe while hiking makes it easier to listen to comments like this and stay calm. This is important as it provides time to plan your response.
Two popular ways to influence others that I think are appropriate are: 1) Facts, figures and first-hand knowledge. For example, “We’ve visited our recycling facilities and can see the material being sent to market, especially aluminum and cardboard.” And 2) The “bypass method,” where you acknowledge a bit of what the person says while expanding with details. For example, “Yes, the oil industry oversold the ability to recycle plastics and hid the effects of plastics on testosterone. That’s why I’m using less plastic these days. But aluminum and cardboard are definitely recycled here in NM at various plants. We have tours if you want to go see for yourself.”
Success looks like a small victory as it’s unlikely you can change a mind in five minutes, and I don’t recommend ruining your hike with an argument. If you make a small impact, that is enough. I remember at the top of a nearby peak we hiked. I heard, “I guess climate change must be real, it’s never been this warm this time of year before.” I count those “awareness moments” as a win. So I encourage you to have short environmentally aware conversations and not to get discouraged!
If you make a small impact, that is enough.
I remember at the top of a nearby peak we hiked, I heard “I guess climate change must be real, it’s never been this warm this time of year before.” I count those as ‘awareness moments’ as a win.
Featured image: Sevilleta Hike, photo by Melissa Bernardin.