Holiday lessons from a climate pessimist turned educator
My climate-obsessed dad's doomsday lectures once overwhelmed us, but they also shaped how our family faces the climate crisis together.
Sachi Kitajima Mulkey reports for Grist.
In short:
- The author reflects on her father’s evolution into “Dr. Doom,” a nickname earned from his climate lectures during family holidays. His urgency stems from decades of scientific work and climate education.
- Experts note that climate scientists often experience despair, or "moral injury," as their dire warnings are ignored, yet this anxiety can motivate action rather than resignation.
- Her father’s influence ultimately led to careers in climate work for the author and her brother, while his students find his sobering lectures both challenging and inspiring.
Key quote:
“You cannot protect your kids from climate change. But you can protect them from being alone with climate change.”
— Kristan Childs, Climate Psychology Alliance
Why this matters:
Most of us know a Dr. Doom—a parent, a friend, maybe even ourselves—dragging a thread of despair through small talk and holiday cheer. Maybe they’re too much sometimes, or maybe they’re just enough. Because in a world teetering on a warming edge, we need their inconvenient truths. Read more: Pollution’s mental toll: How air, water and climate pollution shape our mental health.
