Uncomfortable bringing up climate change? Speak up anyways.

Let’s be honest, it can be really uncomfortable bringing up climate change at home, with friends, or at work. A coworker of mine was talking recently about a personal smoke infusion device for whiskey drinking. Neat, right? As they were sharing their excitement over it, the thought on repeat in my mind was: “Wow, how unnecessary is that, and how privileged are we?” I couldn’t help but (in the most non-confrontational way I knew how) share this thought while stressing my own hypocrisy for the comment due to my own superfluous interests and adding an apology for being a buzz-kill.

Those of us engaged with climate change, environmental justice, conscious consumerism, sustainability, or related topics will no doubt have their own versions of this story: an attempt to talk about the guilty feelings of privilege, an acknowledgment of our own hypocrisy for bringing it up, and an inevitable apology for bringing up something heavy.

I know that it won’t be the last time, but I’d like to say that I’m done apologizing and censoring myself to prevent “uncomfortable” situations. Frankly, censorship in such scenarios is a selfish decision. More often than not, the short-term social discomfort of confronting reality and bringing up hard truths pales in comparison to the future discomfort, suffering, tragedy, and death that will follow (most likely for others who are not participants in the “uncomfortable” conversation) if those truths are not recognized and acted upon.

I’m not advocating wholly disregarding social niceties and raining on everybody’s parade whenever you have such a thought, but to add perspective on how those tough conversations, and the discomfort that goes along with them, may sometimes be necessary. Suppose we stay silent and keep ourselves small. In that case, those topics that cause internal discomfort will inevitably continue to happen around us. At the same time, unsustainable actions will continue to proliferate because they go unchallenged, thereby growing the inevitable tragedy that results from the proliferation of unsustainable actions.

In case you need a little ammo for that next conversation, consider this. For the same price as a low-end whiskey smoker on Amazon, you could give the gift of a flock of ducks, a flock of chickens, or even a honeybee colony to a family in need through the Heifer Foundation. Let me phrase that a different way… For the same cost of making your whiskey taste a little smokier, you could instead help provide a family with much-needed food security and an income stream that leads to a better life. I think that a lot of people would choose the latter if they were reminded that they had the option, and that would make the world a much better place.

My Climate Manifesto

I’ll admit that I am definitely a dreamer and that my perspective on the changes needed to solve the climate crises is not only radical but also a lot of wishful thinking — although I’d argue that no real “solution” to the climate and humanitarian crises we face can be anything less than revolutionary.

To start, it is important to point out that I personally find value in framing the conversation about human equity rather than about the environment — life will go on whether or not we change, but the changes that we make can reduce human suffering, and that is why I feel called to the field of sustainability. In its most basic sense, the crises we face come down to conscientious consumption. Values like frugality, moderation, and charity must replace the “culture of more” that is prevalent today, particularly in the developed world. While those values should be praised, their opposites, such as excess, should become socially unacceptable. That being said, and I don’t mean to be hypocritical, but much of the conversation is about what we consume and how much we consume while it instead should be about why we consume — no amount of technologically-induced efficiency increases can make our current consumption habits sustainable (although they will play an important role!), especially when we consider how much of the world’s population has yet to “get their share.” Consideration of the why of consumption would make us look inward rather than outward, and to understand that consumption in many cases is not a response to having too few things but instead to having a lack of meaning and fulfillment, or in other cases as a “convenience” that in reality comes at the expense of a much greater inconvenience to somebody else.


I’m not sure that there is a way to regulate or invent our way into solving the climate crises. A lasting solution can only result from education, conversation, and people acting as an example, all of which may coalesce into a larger movement. A lot of people understand the consequences of climate change — although these consequences are a bit abstract and many in the first world are insulated from them — but most people underestimate their role in solving the crises. The moment of change is not going to be one sweeping solution, but instead the culmination of millions or billions of people taking action. My goals are twofold — to help people understand that no action is inconsequential, and that the actions required to right our relationship with the world are not “sacrifices” as they are often seen to be. Pivoting to a plant based diet, walking more, buying local and second hand, and many other behavioral changes can lead to greater personal fulfillment and a higher quality of life, while at the same time allowing somebody across the world that truly is in need to get their share.

About Sustainability Uncensored

No matter what definition of “Sustainability” you subscribe to, it is clear that it does not describe the current trajectory of society. Dramatic change IS coming – it is not an option. We can continue to pursue change that is “comfortable,” ignoring the reality that such change is not enough. Or, we can embrace the scale of wholistic changes that are necessary and inevitable, and we can begin to have the difficult conversations that are required for us to create the best possible future for our world and for our species.

Sustainability Uncensored seeks to be a space where the difficult conversations surrounding sustainability are supported. Its vision is to help normalize the “radical” changes that are necessary, and to empower individuals so that they can begin making changes in their own lives that bring about a future that is truly sustainable.