How Can Climate Entertainment Help Us Talk About Climate Change?

Is emphasizing the cold, hard facts of climate change – the acres lost to sea level rise, the percentage increase of global warming – actually the right approach for getting people to act? “If we want climate progress in energy, transportation and agriculture, we need progress in pop culture, media and sports,” writes longtime energy and climate reporter Sammy Roth. Roth and climate media advocates argue that seeing electric vehicles in movies like “Barbie,” induction stoves on HGTV or a whole team protesting an oil company in “Ted Lasso” show how climate conscious realities can easily exist — and inspire viewers to advocate and take action. We’ll talk about why storytelling in film, TV and advertising has such a powerful sway over us, and take stock of the landscape of climate change depictions on your screens. Guests: Sammy Roth, author, Climate-Colored Goggles: a newsletter about climate & culture Tamara Toles O'Laughlin, national climate strategist; founder, Climate Critical [a Black-led climate collective]; board member, Good Energy [an organization focused on Hollywood climate storytelling] Jessica Kutz, lead climate reporter, The 19th John Marshall, founder and CEO, Potential Energy Coalition [a nonprofit marketing firm that works to increase public action on climate change] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices