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Overview

Have you ever tried to talk to your family about climate change? Or perhaps you’ve managed to avoid this thorny topic altogether (don’t worry, we won’t judge). The good news is that convincing your family of the realities of climate change is not a lost cause. A 2019 study showed that intergenerational learning is a valuable way to generate climate change concern among families. 

‍How Nana and Pop Learnt about Climate Change shows the perspective of grandparents and their learning process in a humorous and relatable way. Maybe it will convince you that discussing climate with your family isn’t all that bad! 

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Opening the Discussion

Whether you are hosting a private or public event, consider allowing the audience a few moments to reflect on what they have heard and to quietly organize their thoughts before beginning a discussion. You may provide a general prompt (see examples below) that may support their thinking:

• What are three words to describe your impressions of the play? 
• What insights did it provide (in relation to climate change)? 
• What parts surprised you or moved you? 

Consider spending a few minutes (3-5 mins) discussing some of the responses to these questions, before transitioning to the discussion prompts below. 

(Note - we have a comprehensive guide on Hosting a Listening Party with lots more suggestions - click here).

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Discussion Prompts

• How did you learn about climate change? What was helpful in your learning process? What was not helpful?
• Have you had conversations about climate change and the environment with your family? What was effective in your conversations? What was not effective?

• Nana reflects on life before colonization and how her ancestors lived and interacted with local ecosystems. How do you think we can support efforts to preserve and uplift Indigenous knowledge in local decision-making? 
• What are ways we can encourage children to learn more about and discuss climate change with their families?  
• Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, with a warming potential that is almost 28 times greater than carbon dioxide.  Methane is released by ruminant animals, like cows and other livestock during digestion (i.e., via ‘farts’ and burps) through a process called enteric fermentation. Countries around the world are developing strategies to reduce it, such as changing livestock diets or even calling for vegan or vegetarian diets. Can you think of other ways our food system contributes to climate change? And ways we could address that? 

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Resources

Learn about how to navigate climate discussions with your friends, by checking out these resources below: 

• Not sure how to talk about climate? The Conversation Cycle  is a simple graphic that shows how to approach climate conversations. 
• Need a coach to help improve your conversation skills? Well, there’s a Climate chat bot for that!
• Need a refresher on how to talk about climate change? Take this interactive course from 350.org.  

All of these resources and more are available on the David Suzuki Foundation website.  For more resources, check-out our Take Action page.  

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Take Action

Want to do more? Consider donating to these climate organizations or supporting their campaigns. 

• Wilderness Committee
• Dogwood BC
• 350.org

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