When it comes to climate engagement, there’s no “one size fits all”.
Different people respond to different approaches and the tool you choose should depend on who you’re engaging and what you want them to take away.
Here are 4 of the main climate engagement tools we talk about often:
1. Warming Stripes (By Professor Ed Hawkins)
A powerful visual tool for the data-driven and the short-on-time.
Warming Stripes use coloured stripes to show temperature changes over time, making climate change visually undeniable. It’s simple, instant, and great for sparking conversation.
Why it works: Perfect for visual learners and anyone who needs a quick, striking way to grasp climate trends.
Downside: It’s just a graphic so you’ll need to add your own context and discussion to turn awareness into action.
Check it out here: https://showyourstripes.info/
2. Climate Fresk
A participatory card game that maps out the science of climate change in detail. In around three hours, participants work together to piece together cause-and-effect links and understand the scale of the problem.
Why it works: Great if your aim is deep understanding and helping people see the systemic nature of climate change.
Downside: Can feel quite heavy and there’s not always an “uplift” at the end, so factor in a follow-up activity to balance the intensity.
Check it out here: https://climatefresk.org/world/
3. Carbon Literacy (The Carbon Literacy Project)
More than just awareness, this is about upskilling and accountability. Over the course of 8 hours, participants gain climate knowledge, commit to two pledges (one personal, one workplace), and can gain global accreditation as ‘Carbon Literate’.
Why it works: Builds lasting knowledge and commitment; great for professional development and workplace accountability.
Downside: It’s a time investment so you will need a full day for the training.
Check it out here: https://carbonliteracy.com/
Want to become Carbon Literate? Check out our upcoming courses:
4. Climate Facilitator Pack (Including the ‘How Bad Are Bananas?’ Carbon Footprint Game)
If you want to shift people from “I can’t” to “I can”, this is for you.
The Bananas Game is a higher/lower-style comparison game that helps people quickly understand the carbon footprint of everyday items and actions.
It’s included as part of a Climate Facilitator Pack, which contains everything you need to run fun, science-backed climate workshops in-house. Whether you’ve got 5 minutes or 5 hours, you can tailor the learning to your group to have maximum impact.
Why it works: It’s engaging, flexible, and helps people focus on the “what next”, showing both the impact of behaviours and the practical steps, they can take.
Downside: Not everyone loves games, and some feel gamification makes serious topics less serious (we disagree but it’s worth knowing your audience).
Check it out here: https://bananasgame.co.uk/small-carbon-footprint-game/
The takeaway?
The best climate engagement tool is the one that meets your audience where they are.
That’s exactly why our Facilitator Pack is designed to be flexible. It works for quick awareness-raising moments, in-depth workshops, or as part of a longer-term engagement strategy. With the Bananas Game at its core, it combines interaction, science, and practical action in a way that sticks.
Because whether you’ve got five minutes at a stand or a full afternoon with a team, you should be able to create a session that sparks curiosity, builds understanding, and leaves people thinking, “I can do something about this.”
Written By Charlotte Lawson