One of my favorite web comics is xkcd ’s “Duty Calls,” where the stick figure can’t tear himself away from the computer because “Someone is WRONG on the internet.” Unfortunately, too often discussions on environmental topics devolve into “You’re wrong” - “No, you’re wrong” and we lose sight of what we are trying to accomplish, namely, moving towards a healthier, sustainable, more energy efficient lifestyle.  If you’re the kind of person who has to be right all the time, you’re not going to convince anyone else of anything - you’ll just be arguing minute points like there’s a debate coach keeping score, and at the end someone’s going to hand you a little trophy.  In this type of debate, the goal is to get the other side to see the advantages of going green, even if it’s

in a small way.  Keeping the conversation going is more important than proving the other side wrong.  Here are a few strategies to achieve that goal. Avoid “Green” - The term is overused and since it means different things to different people, many are confused by it.  To me, “Green” means healthy, sustainable, and energy efficient.  To someone else, it might conjure images of hippies in communes.  Companies use “Green” to sell products that have no business being near that word.  So if you’re trying to convince someone to conserve energy and water, use “energy conservation” or tie it into “energy independence.”  If you are arguing health aspects, use “chemical free,” “carcinogen free,” “hypoallergenic,” or just plain “healthy.” Read more of this story »

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Talking Green with Doubters or Deniers