A Frustrating Conversation

I had a conversation with my roommate, who recently became a Republican during the election, and has made it clear to me multiple times before that she doesn't believe global warming is a fact. In the past, whenever we have started talking about the environment by chance, I tended to change the subject because I didn't want to get into an argument. Needless to say, we don't get along very well.

This time around I tried to listen and see what she had to say. She is from Portland, Oregon and made the argument that there are enough environmentalists in her state that it's okay for her to leave on the lights, heat, and TV at all hours and not recycle. I tried explaining the simple science of global warming and how consumption contributes. I tried telling her the consequences of climate change, but she would have none of it. She wouldn't listen and no matter what argument I made, she steadfastly disagreed.

After this conversation I learned that she won't listen to reason, although she is respectful enough not to tear down my Powershift and Eco-Sense posters from our door. I learned it is going to take a lot more than a conversation to convince a skeptic that global warming exists, let alone convincing someone to change their behaviors.