• Remove the silverware and knives from the table. Just kidding. Unless it’s to replace the plastic ones with real cutlery; then we’re totally serious.

• Assume that everyone wants a healthy future and connect with each other on that level. Most Americans understand that climate change is real and bad, but some are worried that the solutions will cause them economic hardship or to lose freedoms.

• Listen and try to understand. Get to the heart of why someone doesn’t believe the science. Ask questions about what they think is causing extreme weather, or what it is about news stories that they don’t trust.

• Share your personal climate story. Talk about why you are worried about your future and why solutions are important to you.    

• Recognize that this might be a longer conversation than you can have in one sitting. Consider Thanksgiving an opportunity to lay the groundwork for future conversations. If you find common ground, you could follow up with articles that speak to particular concerns and keep the conversation going from there.

• Health: Actions that prevent carbon pollution improve health right now while also making the world more sustainable for future generations. Check out our list of climate and health resources for a different way to think about climate action.

• Children: Climate solutions and transitioning to clean energy protects kids from dangerous pollutants and helps them live healthier lives. For more talking points, check out our fact sheets about how climate change impacts kids’ health. 

• Energy Independence: Rather than debating whether climate change is caused by humans, try mentioning that switching to solar or wind could help the U.S. become energy independent.

• Economic Opportunity: Many professional fields address climate change. Jobs in renewable energy, and agricultural and environmental engineering are providing pathways to young adults who want to make a difference and a good living. 

• Government Spending: Climate change will lead to increased spending in the form of disaster assistance, infrastructure damage, healthcare, and flood and crop insurance. Investing now to prevent these damages is essential.

• One-third of Americans live in a place that has 100% clean energy goals. Local efforts are driving big changes that will cut out fossil fuels, decrease pollution, and improve our health. 

• Climate journalism is taking center stage. Newsrooms are increasingly focused on climate solutions, engagement, and personal storytelling, which is key to helping us all stay informed and engaged. Over 1200 news outlets reaching 850 million people covered the release of the 2019 Lancet Countdown report with a top-line warning of impacts to kids’ health.

• There’s still time to create a healthier future. The scary news stories about what will happen if we don’t take swift climate action will only come to life if we fail to act. Isn’t that soothing? Our Research Fellow Dr. Renee Salas co-authored the 2019 Lancet Countdown report’s U.S. Policy Brief, which recommends mitigation and adaptation strategies to avert catastrophe. “There’s a path to a different future. One of the hardest things for me as a doctor is when we don’t have treatments available,” said Dr. Salas. “But [with climate change] we have them, we just need the political and collective will to implement them.”

• Doctors are trusted sources of information, and they're joining the climate conversation, which is why we launched Climate MD to help medical professionals turn awareness of the health threats posed by climate change into actions that improve health today.

• Innovators are making big change possible. Start-ups—like this one that concentrates solar energy hot enough to create steel, cement, and glass—are working to replace energy-intensive processes with renewable power.  

• The shift in public opinion. During the September climate strikes, climate was the second most talked-about issue on social media! A Pew report released yesterday found that 77% of Americans agree that the U.S. should develop renewable energy over fossil fuels. The momentum is building and there’s no turning back.

• There is a role for everyone who wants to create change. We can all do better—fly less, eat less meat, find better ways to get to work. At the same time, we’re not going to meet our climate goals through individual actions alone. Check out the U.S. Call to Action for a policy agenda we can encourage our policy makers to strive for.

• Shop your fridge first: So you don’t buy more of what you already have. 

• Buy wisely: Use Save The Food’s Guest-imator to calculate how much you’ll need to feed the small, average, and big eaters on your guest list. You’ll reduce food waste and save money too!

• Go smaller on turkey, bigger on veggies: Vegetables are less resource-intensive to grow, if you bulk up on the side dishes you’ll need a smaller bird to go around. 

• Buy local and organic if you can, and don’t stress if you can’t. Check out EWG’s 2019 Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 lists to learn which produce has the most and least pesticides.

• Reduce paper and plastic by using your everyday dishes, glasses, and silverware. 

• Decorate with nature: Why spend money on store-bought decorations when you could create a free centerpiece with pinecones, acorns, and autumn leaves?

• Send leftovers home with your guests: Bonus points if they bring their own reusable containers, but have some on hand if they don’t.

• Assemble your own freezer meals for easy lunches in a few weeks, when you are feeling nostalgic for stuffing. You can also make broth from turkey bones and veggie scraps to freeze for later.

• We love these Thanksgiving leftover recipes for meals that don’t taste like Thanksgiving. Think: Turkey Pho, tamales, and Waldorf Salad. 

• Compost your scraps to enrich the soil for future Thanksgiving feasts.