“Do something. Anything. Then talk about it.”
On April 21, 2026, the Sabin Center and Wake Forest’s Environmental and Sustainability Studies Program co-hosted leading climate communicator Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, Chief Scientist for The Nature Conservancy and the Paul Whitfield Horn Distinguished Professor and Endowed Chair in Public Policy and Public Law at Texas Tech University. Throughout the day leading up to her event, Dr. Hayhoe met with students, faculty, and staff in intimate Q&A sessions covering a breadth of topics.
In the evening, over 200 citizens, faculty, students, and staff joined us at the Porter Byrum Welcome Center for an engaging and uplifting interactive keynote discussion. Dr. Hayhoe delighted and inspired the audience with her energy, insight, and practical suggestions for advancing conversations on climate change.
This was the most engaging individual I’ve ever heard.
Citizen
To care about climate change, you don’t have to be a certain type of person. You only have to be a human.
Dr. Hayhoe
Dr. Hayhoe’s remarks centered on why — and how — we should talk about climate change with our friends and neighbors. Despite common perceptions to the contrary, Dr. Hayhoe noted that most people do care about climate change. And virtually everyone has a personal interest or concern that can be directly linked to climate change — from a love of matcha or chocolate to enjoyment of the outdoors. The key to advancing climate change solutions is not to scare more people, or get more doom and gloom facts out there, but to bring the conversation forward with shared interests and meaningful solutions.
In other words, move the conversation away from “the head” (scary statistics), and toward “the heart” (what the other person really cares about) and “the hands” (solutions that work, no matter how small the scale).
Do something. Anything. Then talk about it.
Dr. Hayhoe, answering her most frequent question: what’s the most effective thing an individual can do about climate change?
Beyond her general advice, Dr. Hayhoe provided additional resources in response to audience questions like:
- Where to go for good news on climate solutions, some not so good news on climate impacts, and things you can do? Check out Dr. Hayhoe’s weekly newsletter, including an archive of previous content, at Talking Climate.
- How to talk to politicians about climate change? Check out the Citizens’ Climate Lobby for actionable advice and resources.
- How to talk to someone of faith about climate change? Check out Dr. Hayhoe’s remarks on Faith and the Future of Creation.
We are pleased to share Dr. Hayhoe’s comments with you in their entirety here.