The problem is so severe that trying to say, First we'll fix the government and then we'll tackle climate change, or, First we have to figure out alternative systems to capitalism and then we'll tackle climate change, I don't see how those things are possible in the very short term.

It is rarely comfortable to talk about climate change. Bringing something difficult up, it feels like somehow by mentioning this I'm kind of causing it, I'm hurting these people. But you're not hurting these people climate change is hurting these people. You're telling them they're being hurt.

Social movements throughout history take place in people's minds. If we got 5,000 Americans who were talking about climate change to their neighbors and to their coworkers, and talking about this pledge, that would change the political and social landscape so much more than if 5,000 people got arrested for protesting a pipeline.

I think it's very important to invite and encourage people to talk about climate change who have a lay understanding. In general, there is a lot of confusion among climate activists about the role of science, that scientists should be social and political leaders of this movement.

I argue that I don't think it's a moral position to say that civilization is going to collapse, and that's okay. Because that would cause the deaths of billions of people. It's certainly not something I'm willing to accept.

By looking the other way on climate change we facilitate a collective denial, and we do it for each other.

My grandmother is a Holocaust survivor. Some heroes of mine have long been the Jewish Partisans, these young people who just went into the woods with whatever guns and bombs and what not they could get their hands on, and just would fight Nazis, and try to help people escape.

Online petitions are built around getting as many signatures as possible. But the experience of taking them and forgetting about them degrades the importance.

I used to be a lot more afraid of climate change. Now I spend my time working, planning, trying to move forward.

There are a lot of reasons people don't talk about climate change. One of them has to do with the language of science, and people feeling not competent about this issue.