How Do We Talk About The Climate? – Jill Tidman, The Redford Center

Electric Ladies Podcast

“When we're searching for projects to invest in and support, we're really trying to make sure that it's a story that has kind of a balanced narrative. It's not about just talking about what we can do and how we're, how we're winning. It's really making sure that we understand what's at stake and what the impacts are and who the impacts are hitting, and also seeing people in action addressing and dealing with the situation at hand. And I think that's where it’s very hard, increasingly hard.” Jill Tidman on Electric Ladies Podcast

How do we talk about the climate? The public is experiencing the effects of a warming – boiling – planet more each day with massive wildfires, massive floods and extreme heat, as well as destructive hurricanes and the like. But how do we tell the story of how those events reflect the actions we need to take to avert worse?

This is the challenge of today for those of us seeking to save humanity’s ability to live on a warming planet. As I wrote in Forbes recently, how we talk about the weather matters. Listen to Jill Tidman, Executive Director of The Redford Center (founded by actor, producer, Robert Redford and his late son James Redford) on Electric Ladies Podcast in this inspiring conversation with host Joan Michelson.

You’ll hear:

• Why stories are vital to massive social, political and economic change.
• How The Redford Center chooses its projects to motivate action.
• How to communicate climate messages in stories without being preachy or awkward.
• How culture can reach people who are disinclined toward the climate change message.
• Plus, insightful career advice ….

“Any time you can find work that aligns with your, your personal values and goals, you're going to excel, you're going to feel better, you're going to be happier, you're going to have more value, you're going to succeed in the ways that I think are probably most meaningful for women. And, and then, I also think, don't be shy. I think that we have a tendency to not ask for what we need or put in an idea forward, um, or, go out on a limb. We don't need to play small. We're in the room, and if you're in the room, be in the room.”

Jill Tidman on Electric Ladies podcast

Read my articles in Forbes about how we talk about the weather, and about developing a new narrative for the climate effort.

You’ll also want to listen to (some may have been recorded under our previous name, Green Connections Radio):

• Sandra Bargman & Chantal Bilodeau, “The Climate Cabaret” – using music and storytelling to talk about the climate crisis.
• Aimee Christensen, CEO, Christensen Global & the Sun Valley Forum & Sun Valley Institute For Resilience
• Deborah Rutter, President, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts – on managing creative people.
• Ann Friedman, Creator and CEO, Planet Word Museum – on her new museum about the magic of language.
• Tracy Edwards, Executive Producer of the documentary “Maiden” about her experience developing and Captaining the first all-female crew to run the Whitbread Round the World Yachting Race.
• Dayna Reggero, Executive Producer of The Climate Listening Project, short films about community climate activists around the U.S.

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