Teaching climate change and energy concepts

Last week, someone who’s been working in climate communications for over a year quietly admitted they still didn’t totally understand what “lowering emissions” meant. Not the general vibe of it, but the actual why and how. I loved their honesty. It reminded me how often specialists in the space continue to throw around terms that even insiders don’t fully grasp. If we want the public, policymakers, and private sector to act, we have to stop communicating like we’re at a scientific conference. Here are 5 tools I use all the time to make complex climate and science ideas land: ✔️ The “Grandma Test” Can you explain the concept to your grandma without losing meaning? This test forces clarity without condescension—and it’s one of the fastest ways to reveal jargon you didn’t even know you were using. ✔️ Metaphor as a Bridge Metaphors are powerful shortcuts for understanding. For example, instead of saying “emissions reductions,” try: “Imagine your home has a slow gas leak. Cutting emissions is like finding and sealing that leak—before it gets worse.” It may take longer to say (a communications faux pas) but we process metaphors faster than data. ✔️ Chunk the Concept Break big ideas into bite-sized parts: What is it? Why does it matter? What can be done? Who’s doing it well? This format creates digestible flow and gives your audience mental “hooks” to follow you. ✔️ Visual Storytelling Not every concept needs a paragraph. Sometimes it just needs a sketch, a diagram, or a comparison chart. ✔️ Mirror the Audience Before I write or say anything, I ask: “What does this audience care about most?” Meeting people in their worldview is half the battle. I’ll be sharing more of the frameworks and strategies I use in future posts—but if your team is trying to translate climate science or sustainability language into something people actually understand and act on, C3 can help. Let’s make it make sense. 👉 Feel free to reach out or follow along for more tools from the Climate Communications Collective playbook.

As the urgency of the climate crisis grows, so does the need to educate future generations about its complexities. But here’s the thing: not all climate education is created equal, and without intentional design, even well-meaning efforts can fall short. A systematic review of climate education strategies by Martha Monroe, Richard Plate, Annie Oxarart, Alison Bowers & Willandia Chaves (linked below) highlights key factors that make climate education effective. The research identifies actionable approaches, from fostering personal relevance to creating opportunities for hands-on learning. Yet, it also reveals a surprising gap: we lack robust evidence on what consistently works across diverse settings to cultivate true climate literacy. What does this mean? It’s time to move beyond simply raising awareness. We need to focus on creating climate literacy—educating youth in ways that empower them to think critically, act meaningfully, and connect the science of climate change to their lives. Effective climate education strategies include: 🌍 Making the subject relevant and personal, connecting global challenges to local contexts. 🧩 Interactive learning through discussions, projects, and problem-solving activities. 🔍 Addressing misconceptions and replacing them with accurate, science-based understanding. 🤝 Facilitating collaboration with scientists, schools, and communities to bring the topic to life. This isn’t just about facts; it’s about fostering skills and confidence to tackle one of humanity’s greatest challenges. Our kids deserve better than a one-size-fits-all approach. We need climate education rooted in evidence, designed to inspire informed action. It's time to prioritize climate literacy in our youth. https://lnkd.in/gEq_BkcA Lisa Whelan Breck Foster Future Climate Collective Probable Futures #ClimateEducation #ClimateLiteracy #Sustainability #YouthEmpowerment

🌍 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐘𝐏 🌱 In an ever-changing world, fostering environmental responsibility from an early age is essential. The IB PYP framework emphasizes inquiry-based learning and action. Encouraging students to explore, question, and take meaningful action for the environment helps build a generation that cares for our planet. ✨ 𝟏. 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 📝🌿 Empower students by co-creating a class pledge to reduce waste, save energy, and respect nature. When learners take ownership of their commitments, they are more likely to act responsibly. 🥦 𝟐. 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞-𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 🌎♻️ Encourage students to bring zero-waste lunches once a week. This small yet effective initiative nurtures habits of mindful consumption and sustainability. 🌡️ 𝟑. 𝐈𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 🔍🌊 Integrate climate discussions into Units of Inquiry (UOI) by exploring real-world issues like deforestation, ocean pollution, and endangered species. Inquiry-based learning allows students to think critically and develop a deeper understanding of environmental challenges. 🎨 𝟒. 𝐔𝐩𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 🔄✨ Engage students in hands-on projects where they repurpose waste into useful or artistic items. This activity sparks creativity while reinforcing the concept of reduce, reuse, recycle. 🌳 𝟓. 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐚 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫 🌻🌱 Create a classroom or school garden where students plant and care for trees, flowers, or vegetables. This hands-on approach builds a connection with nature and teaches responsibility. 📖 𝟔. 𝐄𝐜𝐨-𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐬 & 𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 🎬📚 Introduce students to books and documentaries like The Lorax or Our Planet to inspire discussions and reflection on environmental conservation. Stories and visuals make abstract concepts more relatable and engaging. How do you promote environmental awareness in your PYP classroom? Share your strategies in the comments! ⬇️💬 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫, 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭: Link- https://lnkd.in/g2ijMEsW 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬? Join our Inquiry Classroom WhatsApp Community: 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤-https://lnkd.in/gWdqJqca 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐔𝐩𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐧 (𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐘𝐏) 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬: https://lnkd.in/gBvxeMYT #inquiryclassroom #EnvironmentalAwareness #SustainabilityInEducation #InquiryBasedLearning #EcoFriendlyClassroom #StudentAgency #GreenEducation

You asked, and I answered! I announced that I taught my first #geoengineering course at Yale University with Splash at Yale, and everyone had such supportive feedback, insightful contributions to add, and -- most importantly -- you all wanted to see the slides! Go for it! Attached, you'll find a brief overview of the following: 1. Problem Statement (i.e. global warming is a climate crisis!) 2. Paris Agreement 3. Four Categories for Conceptualizing Climate Tech (#Mitigation, #Removal, #Adaptation, #Resilience) 4. Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) vs. Geoengineering And the following tech deep dives: 1. #Decarbonization: Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS), Direct Air Capture (DAC), Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW), Biochar & Biofuel 2. #Mobility & #Transportation: Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), Maritime Tech & Autonomous Vehicles, Electric Vehicles (EVs) 3. #Energy: Batteries & Critical Minerals, Nuclear Fusion, Hydrogen, Perovskite Solar 4. #BuiltEnvironment: Cement, Steel 5. #Bioremediation 6. #Food & #Agriculture: Precision Ag Robotics, Alternative Proteins Whenever possible, I included: * Industry sector contributions to global GHG emissions * Technology definitions * Chemical formulas * Mechanism descriptions * 2-3 key companies driving innovation in this space * Challenges & unique opportunities for each particular technology Would have loved to include AI applications for energy management (e.g. demand response, flexible pricing), as well as #IoT & computer vision in drones/GIS tech. The intersection of AI, data centers, and energy use would have provided fruitful discussion, too, I am sure! This slides were for a ONE hour survey of emerging climate technologies aimed toward middle/high-school students -- we need an in-depth Part II! 👉 As far as the path forward goes, here's what we definitely DON'T need: funding cuts to the National Science Foundation (NSF), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Renewable Energy Laboratory, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of Transportation, and all the other government agencies working to align economic and ecological incentives. We also need the private sector to forge alliances and deliver on promises unlike ever before. We have real momentum in this space, let's keep it going! As a deep tech evangelist, we need to do everything in our power to support university R&D and the tech transfer process. We must promise our fellow scientists, engineers, innovators, and our business allies a good life working in climate tech. The greatest reward in teaching this class was inspiring the next generation of tech heroes. 👉 Please share ways in which young middle/high school students can get involved with emerging climate tech. Drop resources, links, ideas below. 👉 And if you want more deep tech too (I do!), I invite you to join the global H*QUOTIENT hard tech community, creating meaningful spaces for young folks to engage in real, engineering solutions. https://tally.so/r/nWjGMe