We have a cultural story about good environmentalists: Vegans who don’t touch cars or plastic and streamline their lives to only things that are provably green and clean.
This is an all or nothing story. This is a story of unhappy sacrifice. This means that only the most extreme actions are worth taking.
This story is not going to inspire ordinary people to take climate action at all scales every day.
So what if we invited people to find their way to climate action by asking, “What makes you happy?”
This is the method advocated by Zhao Jiaying, a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia. She suggests you find the “sweet spot” for climate action in the overlap between actions that make you feel good and are good for the planet.
Aligned with our values
But what makes people feel happy?
In American culture, we often associate happiness with consumption and material gain. If we're unhappy, we can buy something new and original with one click, go out for a sweet treat, or upgrade something dull to something shiny. We redecorate the house or move to a bigger house. We travel to faraway and exotic places for excitement or escape.
But these strategies may not necessarily make us happy in the long term, and they may have harmful consequences for the planet.
Larissa Dooley, a research scientist and psychologist at the Climate Mental Health Network, proposes a different approach.
“We feel happy when we engage in activities that align with our values and goals,” Dooley says. “For example, if we value being a good parent or a good citizen and then do something to reinforce our view of ourselves as a good parent or citizen, this may lead to the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and endorphins, as well as achievement The subjective experience of feelings and happiness.”
Dooley said she believes much of the anxiety and gloom about climate change and the environment is related to a disconnect between our values and behaviors.
“We value clean air and water, but our actions as individuals and as a society fail to protect these precious resources,” she said. “This can lead to severe psychological tension, uneasiness and dissatisfaction.”
The solution, she says, is behaviors that bring us back into alignment with our values and engaging in activities that provide emotional support, validation and a sense of belonging.
“Happiness also stems from actions or behaviors that increase social connections and positive relationships,” she said.
few examples
So what might some of these actions look like? What makes you and the planet happy?
Remember, it’s a wonderful world. The first step in taking action for the planet is to remember how wonderful it is to be here and recognize that in all the ways seen and unseen this planet supports your ability to live in this wonder. Gratitude is a powerful state, and you'll be surprised at the actions that follow.
Go outside. Moderate exercise brings us natural, happy pleasure. We can walk or bike instead of driving a mile to the store. Along the way, we can notice and connect with the non-human life lining the streets, in the grass, rooftops and trees, and in the sky above us. On weekends, we can go hiking. As psychologist Thomas Doherty and researcher Panu Pihkala write in the Encyclopedia of Happiness, Quality of Life, and Subjective Well-Being, “Research Finds Nature Connection and Happiness , happiness and quality of life are closely related.
Have a conversation. Talking about climate change is one of the most important steps any of us can take. Connect with people. Open up and share your worries, fears, and hopes. Doing so reduces your own burden and gives others the opportunity to reduce their own climate burden.
Let's do it together. Protests are great, but they are not the only form of collective action. We can make a plant-based meal together. Drive, bike, or take public transportation to work together instead of alone. Let’s save together instead of buying fast fashion or new furniture. In other words, take typical climate-friendly actions and then multiply them with friends and family.
When we make good climate choices and feel happy about it, others around us take notice. They also wanted to appear happy, and soon, we were all taking climate action. it's known Social contagion: social Behavior that spreads like ripples through a population. It’s important to take climate action, but it’s also important to be happy when we do it. If you are miserable, no one will want to follow you.
How to get started
One way to find your sweet spot is to use a climate action Venn diagram. Creator Ayana Elizabeth Johnson asked us three questions: What brings you joy? What are you good at? What work is required?
Solving the climate crisis is a multigenerational project, and we must commit to the necessary system-level changes over the long term. Remember, these systems are not external to us. We are the life force of this system. When we change, the system changes. The good news is that we can change systems and be happy in the process.
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