How Storytelling Can Lead the Climate Fight for Hearts and Minds

I’ve reported on a slew of stories over the past three decades, but none have been as important or as frustrating as climate change and environmental assaults. I’ve followed climate science closely and worked with some of the world’s experts who all agree the globe is entering an extremely dangerous phase. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the devastation from increasingly powerful storms, droughts, forest fires and floods that routinely wreak havoc across the globe. Virtually all scientists say we are not moving fast enough to stop massive destruction of the seas and the land that threatens our future. Driven by powerful fossil fuel interests who mount tobacco like defenses, we remain stuck in a political quicksand. How can we counter the most powerful energy interests of the world?

By focusing more on the stories of ordinary people. From the powerbrokers of Washington and the political capitols of the nation, we need to shine a light on the backyards, farms and fishing communities of people experiencing these dramatic changes firsthand. We need to capture more voices of farmers, fishermen and inner-city residents battling the floods, droughts, and toxic pollution that illustrate the dangers of a changing climate. From the boreal forests of northern Alberta to the polluted communities of the Gulf, I’ve seen the power and impact of these stories in the field. They are more powerful than any million-dollar oil industry campaign.

Unfortunately, we are not telling these stories very well in the new digital age. Local media cutbacks and the rise of cable punditry has hampered crucial local story-telling that explains what’s really happening on the ground. We need to hear more from our environmental sentinels—the nontraditional environmental allies—who bear witness to the dramatic changes taking place. Those are the powerful stories people believe, the compassionate voices who can move people to take action.

These are the kinds of stories I’m planning to tell on this site, and I’m hoping to collaborate with others who want to tell their stories as well. We all have similar goals in our busy lives, to live a healthy and happy life and to make a better world for our children. I’m hoping this effort will take at least a small step in helping make that happen.

I hope you will join me.