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ClimateBites.org -- A communicator's toolkit to complement SkS
Posted on 29 June 2011 by Tom Smerling
Communicating about climate to non-scientists is hard. Most people find the topics complex and unfamiliar. Often, an apt metaphor or quote can go a long way toward helping your audience focus, grasp the concept, and remember your point.
But coming up with “sticky” messages is itself a challenge. Where can you turn? Don McCubbin and I created ClimateBites.org to meet this need. We collect the best climate metaphors, quotes, and soundbite, then add graphics and science links.
Some “bites” -- like the one above -- rely on metaphors to convey key concepts. Others are just punchy one-liners to lighten things up:
Most come with a funny or eye-catching graphic:
"CO2 can't cause global warming, because in the past CO2 lagged temperature rise."
This is like saying "Chickens do not lay eggs, because they have been observed to hatch from them."
Each item cites the source and includes a link to the underlying science (often at SkS).
We view ClimateBites.org as an online climate communicators' "tookit," a companion to SkS. We foresee many opportunities for synergy.
In addition to the "Bites" collection, we are adding other "Tools" for climate communicators, such as:
- Humor – graphic and verbal climate humor
- Tips – best advice for effective climate communication
- Narratives – alternative ways to tell the climate story
- Rebuttals – promo for SkS, plus links other rebuttal sites
- Great Presentations – examples from top climate communicators
- Graphics & Slides – links and a downloadable library
We don't reinvent the wheel. If a tool already exists online, we simply link to it. If not, we create something.
Our goal is that when a climate communicator sits down to write, they can always find something in CB to suit their audience, their topic and their taste.
During the beta phase, we would like SkSers to be among the first to take a look and let us know what you think. Is ClimateBites useful to you? What would make it more useful...or user-friendly? (For feedback, use the site's "Forum" or "About" tabs.)
We especially invite you to add your own favorite climate “zingers.”
Tom Smerling
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