VOX Climate Change

Vox is an American news and opinion website owned by Vox Media. They provide a form of explanatory journalism which is generally considered to have a liberal or left-leaning perspective.

The video above, Why humans are so bad at thinking about climate change, explains why people are relatively unconcerned with the issue. Identifying that its problems are with how the issue is communicated to people and varying methods to combat it.

The doom and gloom tone of voice frequently seen for these types of movements are not effective.
Per Espen Stoknes, a psychologist and economist states that this tone of voice is 'not condusive to engagement'. The doom and gloom narrative makes people passive. When the audience sees the message, it makes it easier for them to withdraw from the issue as 'they will divert their attention to something else that makes them feel better.'

Anthony Leiserowitz, Director Yale Program on Climate change communication supports the argument in the video by stating that 'many Americans continue to think climate change as a distant problem.' Distant in time because it does not have any immediate effect on them and distant in space, as the effects of global warming are seen in places away from the US.

Similarly to Bruce Mau's Massive Change, the findings of there being a hole in the ozone layer was a critical factor in getting people to understand the problem. The simple term 'ozone hole' resonated with people as there was a link between their habits and its effects.
This could be the approach to take in encouraging people to lower their carbon footprint. By identifying a problem that is a result of an everyday product, people are then conscious of their effect on climate change which is important in getting people behind the issue. One of the main problems identified by the video is that carbon dioxide is invisible, which makes the problem 'invisible' itself. This can help make the issue of global warming less of an abstract issue.

Another way to get people more environmentally friendly is to hits on their competitive side. For the example in the video, the reward is the positive image gained from being an environmentally friendly tenant. The reward amongst your peers provides an incentive to be competitive and therefore practice environmentally habits. This could form the solutions purpose and tone of voice.