Help, need some new way to get my family and friends concerned about Global Warming.?

Question

So I've tried
- talking
- watching the documentary "Inconvenient truth"
- Setting rules ( like turning off the lights, buying a hybrid etc)
- Volunteering
- I've shown pictures

I've completely run out of ideas as to how to get them concerned about this...its pretty difficult when they are so caught up with other stuff.

Thanks in advance.

This is in response to Jacob W. Question, what has convinced me?

Well last December, I noticed that the tress scheduled to bloom in the spring time, where budding in December because it was so warm and then stop in March because it was so cold. I noticed, that the roses schedule to bloom in June, were burning out because of the heat in our local gardens. These are my personal encounters and these motivators that makes me want to do something.

Answer 1

Have a global warming party. Do fun things and talk about how each of us can make a difference. Have everyone sign a fun contract and post the list of everyone who signed on a website that you make for your family and friends. (Create a blog. They are free.) Then have them communicate with each other using the blog to talk about going green and more. Here are a few websites to help you with your party. Hope this helps. (Do it on a Sunday afternoon (after church, perhaps).
Hope these ideas help.

Answer 2

Nata:

I'm not trying to be negative about an issue you obviously feel is important... Here's another perspective. The average temperature on Venus and Mars has risen as much or more than the Earth's average temperature over the last 10 years... Maybe your family isn't concerned, because they realize it's not really something (heat) people are doing or can effect? I believe the Sun is responsible and alot of leading scientists agree, but it doesn't help the Media sell newspapers, promote democrats or get TV ratings.

These same experts say the heating trend which is approaching a 100 year conclusion, will start into a cooling trend. I bet you're young enough that you will see the Global Warming hype turn into a new Ice Age Panic in the next 4-10 years. My guess is, you won't get as excited when the Media tells you we're all going to freeze, maybe your parents have already learned not to put stock in Meda Fueled Disaster Scenarios.

Answer 3

A better question would be "What has convinced you?". Do you have some solid undisputed proof that it is occurring and that there is something that can be done about it? So far, in all my extensive research, the only absolutely solid undisputed proof I have seen is that the sun is causing a rise in temperature on all the planets in this solar system. That tells me that there is no action we can take to change it.

I do wonder why no one is taking any steps to protect property if, indeed, sea level will rise significantly. There seems time to build flood barriers and dams if we really want to make a difference. But no one is proposing any such thing. Why is that? What if no amount of energy savings or carbon dioxide decrease will help? Why isn't anyone interested in beginning a process to move vulnerable coastal populations to higher ground?

Believe me, when the likes of Al Gore started with this "carbon credit" nonsense it convinced me that they are only trying to fool us. So before you go around switching off lights or driving a hybrid, look at what the global warming prophets are actually doing.

If you see them closing down their big houses, not flying in private or charter planes, not driving large automobiles and installing solar panels then you should take them seriously. Do you realize you are taking action based on a movie and story Al Gore is promoting yet Al Gore probably uses more energy to heat his swimming pool for a day than you do to heat your house for a month?

One large chartered jet probably burns more fuel in one coast to coast flight than all the vehicles in your state on the road during the morning rush hour. I implore you, believe what they do not what they say.

To directly answer your question, the best way to get them concerned about global warming is to lie to them. Make stuff up to scare them. It seems to have worked on you.

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Response to your response:
You have only anecdotal information and that is enough for you to want to "do something". I am sorry, but I have seen such things occurr throughout my life. They mean absolutley nothing. Even the global warming zealots are talking about the effects it is going to have years down the line. It can't possibly be causing localized effects already. You sound like a nice person. But you are allowing them to turn you into a useful idiot. This is their term, not mine. It refers to people who believe the lie and keep it going.

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Answer 4

Easy, the scare approach doesn't work, so try a different approach, encouragement.

Show them how doing the right thing saves them money, from a digital thermostat, to CFLs, to washing laundry in cold water and hanging to dry, all of these save them cash.

Cash saved is cash they can spend elsewhere, and that can be a good incentive. Basically it's economically good for the home to go environmentally friendly.

Other than that, you can offer an incentive, like if you have some money, offer to match the savings they get on their electric bill with cash. So if they save $40 over a year, you'll give them $40.

Basically the negative stuff isn't a good incentive, so give them positive stuff.

All of your stuff is like an angry parent saying "do your chores", but noone really likes doing chores. You need to be the parent that says "do your chores and you'll get a treat."

Answer 5

You can show them that it takes very little to start making a difference and show them how just very small steps will definitely help. Things like using CFL's instead of incandescent light bulbs or using cloth napkins will save money and they are very easy steps. Environment and they will win! Walking/running/biking instead of driving will eliminate the pollution that would have been created driving and is good for the health. Another "double bonus"!

Showing them things such as those that they can do can show that they can not only work towards helping the environment but also towards their own ends and it can be them just saving money/improving themselves. Then, they barely need even think about the environmental impact of what they're doing. Hopefully, they may start getting into the swing of things as their interests might be piqued about what else they can do once they've started...

Answer 6

www.climatechallenge.gov.uk should help you communicate the issue a bit better.

You may find Joanna May's work helpful too,
www.joannamacy.net

but don't beat yourself up about not convincing other people, an addict, especially ones supported by powerful cultural drug pushers, will not really listen until it hits them personally. Look at how people carry on smoking.

All you can do is be there for them when they want to change.

Answer 7

You may have a difficult time convincing your adult friends - many of us are old enough to remember when "The Next Ice Age Is Coming!" was all the rage. Also, politics keeps rearing its ugly head - people seem more likely to believe something when a member of their own party says it.
You might have better luck with kids, most of whom are still forming their own views of the world.

Answer 8

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/horizon/dimming_prog_summary.shtml

Check this out.

This is a link to the webpage for a really interesting documentary that was on tv in the UK. If you can get hold of a copy it might be just what you are looking for to get people to take notice and start changing the way they live... good luck

Answer 9

It sounds like your family needs to educate you as to why they aren't concerned about global warming.

Perhaps they aren't concerned because they ARE educated.

Perhaps it's because they've done the research to find that manmade global warming doesn't exist. Global warming has been happening and is directly a result of sunspots. The sunspots increase/decreases earth's irradiation and the earth warms/cools....and then 800 years later (the part al gore didn't tell you) the CO2 levels go up/down.

Answer 10

Have you tried running around screaming "the sky is falling! the sky is falling!"

Stressing out about global warming is pointless, we didn't cause it.. we can't stop it. There are valid economic reasons for doing SOME of the things you want, try that approach if you must continue the Chicken Little act.