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

While the American people have the impression that scientists are hard at work figuring out this complex matter of climate change, it's not actually that complicated.

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.

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

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.

Climate change is the sine qua non of continued civilization. We either solve this, or it's lights out. Turning into a collective like that is so much more aligned with how humans live and think and change.

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.