We are not disheartened by climate change deniers

We enjoyed the recent editorial cartoon by Drew Sheneman on the topic of climate change (“There’s 3 feet of climate change hoax in my basement,” April 9). It speaks to the urgent consequences of anthropogenic ecological destruction as well as society’s need to communicate to skeptical audiences.

As college students, we are struck by the proliferation of climate denial in general public spaces. Although we are frequently in contact with experts in the field, many people are not. As young people, we sometimes hear comments such as “you will fix it” from older persons while other people from older generations lament that it is “their” generation who caused it. Yale’s Center on Climate Communications states that only 9% of Americans are “dismissive” of or even hostile toward climate change, rejecting the concept that global warming is happening, human-caused or a threat.

Our perspective as young people is that many older people care deeply about climate change. Inhabiting both rural and urban communities, older Americans farm, hunt, fish, ski, garden, hike, care for animals and understand the natural world that we depend on. Thus, the 91% that are not actively adverse toward climate change discussion make us incredibly optimistic. This demographic includes people who actively support or are thinking about combating the local issues that will arise when climate change affects their communities. Others suffer in silence without engaging in the climate conversation at all. An enormous spectrum of Americans are not part of the 9% of the population, which is represented by the character in the political cartoon.

We recognize the humor and irony in the image, but at the same time we don’t need to be halted in our ambitions by the 9% who curse and complain. The other 91% of us can fix this without their help. Remember, if climate denial feels disheartening, stay steadfast. You are the majority.

— Mathieu Changeux and Helen Tiffin, Williamsburg, Virginia

The writers are students at The College of William & Mary.