When we find ourselves caught in a spiral of bad news, it can be difficult to do anything more than shut down. In the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and climate catastrophe, we spoke with environmental communication professor and researcher Dr. Joanna Huxster, from Eckerd College, about ways to avoid apocalyptic rhetoric and opt for hope.

Yet, overcoming the climate crisis is more than a question of hope; it’s a question of belief. Jo addresses how the public reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic and the science surrounding it runs parallel to the reaction to climate science, yet at a much faster pace. What do we stand to learn from COVID about science communication? How can we make skeptics not only believe the science, but care about what it has to say? How do we talk about the future in a way that makes audiences listen and find inspiration, rather than turn away in fear?

The key to these questions lies in our storytelling. In this week’s episode of the Planet Forward Podcast, listen to hear Jo’s story and discover ways in which you can utilize your own story to inspire others.