You must stand for something
or you'll fall for anything -- anonymous
Issues I'm Passionate about
Quote of the Week:
Volunteer Opportunities Everywhere(5/02/2008)
As a part of our class, we were required to participate in two service projects outside of the classroom. The first one we did was an invasive species removal (see January). More recently, we were trying to find a project to become involved with, and we ended up developing our own project for Earth Day. Our own little awareness project, aimed at Willamette University. It is not often that you get to create your own way of impacting others in such a fulfilling. We made three efforts: First we went shopping at Goodwill for recycled t-shirts. On these shirts, we spraypainted bicycles in order to encourage people to ride bikes instead of drive. Second, we posted signs that informed students of the psychological benefits of exposure to nature. And, finally, we posted a large Earth Day sign, reminding students that "It's Easy Being Green!"
We did not all do each of these, but we all helped with the finances and we all helped with some major aspect of the project. It was really a lot of fun, and I am proud that it is something that we initiated on our own. I really hope that it had an impact on our campus. The signs were up for a few days, and I heard several people talking about them. Oh, and as a happy sidenote: we used recycled materials and made the big sign on a sheet so it can be reused next year.
Video of Paul Hawken's speech to Willamette (4/24/2008)
Our class watched a video of a remarkable speech that was given at Willamette University, about 2 weeks after 9/11.
Hawken spoke about a lot of the issue concerning the importance of environmental sustainability on global peace efforts and life in general. One interesting thing he said is that calling it sustainability is really just the best we can do with our current vocabulary. He even recommends "restoration" over "sustainability" because it is closer to what we should actually be working towards. He also said that we need to work on eliminating the aspects of our society that keep us from seeing the world as a system. Too often, we think only of ourselves and our individual needs to attain systematic growth. Unfortunately, this is neither sustainable nor restorative. It is actually the opposite. The focus needs to be shifted back to the community, so that we are doing our part to benefit the system, not just ourselves.
Final thoughts? (4/22/2008)
This course is coming to an end, and it's time to reach some final conclusions. There are some obvious themes running through my entries at this point, but maybe it's time to simplify this mass of text into a brief overview. If you find this overview enticing, perhaps going through the rest of my entries would be worthwhile. So, here goes:
Environmental change has to be a group effort--by the community, for the community.
We must find a way to reward environmentally friendly behaviors, rather than punish harmful ones.
Intervention must start with the youth. Children need to be taught early to value our planet an the people on it.
In the conclusion of our textbook, Winter and Koger sum up with a few main ideas. They are as follows: less is more; maintain a positive way of thinking about the future of environmentalism; recognize that earth's systems are circular and interdependent, we cannot expect life to sustain itself linearly; and we need to "Think global. Act local."
The environment and global security (4/17/2008)
Global security is an issue that the United States has invested trillions of dollars in. Yet, environmentalism barely gets acknowledged in the government structure we have. In fact, environmental endeavors are often opposed in our government. This may appear reasonable at first sight; after all, we need to protect ourselves.
I beleive that it is crucial that we emphasize the fact that the state of our environment and international security are intertwined. Conflict is inherently tied to the Commons Dilemma, in which there are enough resources to go around until people decided they are entitled to more. When resources become scarce, conflict becomes the "best" option for ensuring that one maintains one's amount of claimed resources. Unfortunately, people fail to realize how much of a self-perpetuating cycle this is. Competition over resources escalates conflict, which encourages the use of said products to sustain the conflict. This is such a waste, when the resources could have been efficiently distributed between all the members of the conflicting groups. Therefore, in order to avoid global conflict, it is vital to consider environmental issues. If we continue to destroy the environment, we are contaminating our only source of resources. As I just mentioned, lack of resources increases conflict. Hence, it is ludicrous for us to put so little effort into environmental protection, while investing so extravagantly in security efforts. Both must be addressed.
Documentary (4/16/2008)
I have been unable to make it to two outside lectures this semester (due to my work schedule). So, my write-ups for the semester have been on the Focus the Nation research that I did (because I couldn't even make it to that), and a documentary that I watched.
I watched one of the segments of Drinking Water: let the truth be told. This is a four part series, and I watched two of them. The most valuable one, I think, was EPA Scientists Speak to Congress. Dr. Willian Hirzy testified to a Senate subcommitee that there are some critical changes that need to be made before we can call our drinking water healthy. He asked the committee to increase research efforts in the area of fluoride, and its role as a carcinogen. Also, he asked that they review What he believed to be already conclusive evidence that fluoride can cause cancer. In this speech, Dr. Hirzy also recommended that the government demand toxicity testing for the two fertilizer waste products that are currently found in fluoride. Apparently, up until this point, substitute chemicals have been being used for toxicity screenings. Isn't that strange? In short, Hirzy uses a wide array of research to back up his claim that there needs to be a Surgeon General's panel on the health effects of fluoride.
Until I heard this, I had no idea how unhealthy fluoride can be. I know that it bleached my brother's front teeth when I was a kid. And I remember how gross I thought the fluoride paste at the dentist was....but it had never crossed my mind to think of it as a cancerous agent. In addition, it is very disconcerting that they add it to our water without testing it thoroughly. It's not as though it is naturally occurring in our water, and we just happen to be ingesting it. No, instead, we consciously place potentially harmful substances in our water sources. I think this is ridiculous.
On God and the environment (4/15/2008)
Where does nature end and God begin, or where does God end and nature begin? How important is nature to spiritual health, or spiritualism in general? I know that I never feel as connected as I do when I am sitting in the forest, by a stream. There's a blissfully inconsequential feeling that comes with it. It makes me feel as though I'm just a small part of something much bigger, and it is incredibly calming. Some might call this finding my "sense of place." Is this spiritualism? Am I finding God in these moments of quiet reflection? I don't know whether it's a spiritual connection or just an understanding of my own place in nature. I do know, however, that it is those moments that makes me want to push for sustainability, for saving our world for me and for everyone else who might experience these moments.
So, what is the impact of religion on nature? Christianity says that humans are stewards of the land (some interpret this role as caretakint, others interpret it as dominion). Other religions say that the earth is to be worshipped for the "miracles" that it provides. Our worldviews are almost always based on the declarations of past philosophers who have made some thoughtful contribution that is now widely accepted. For this reason, it is common for worldviews to vary from place to place and tradition to tradition. This makes claims about how religion impacts the environment difficult to make because it changes based on local worldviews. In essence, however, our worldviews mediate our actions. Perhaps we can use this to encourage environmentally respectful behaviors. If more people are exposed to a worldview that respects the "miraculous" properties of the earth, maybe more people will try to protect it.
More about living green and health issues (4/10/2008)
Greening healthcare is a movement that is gaining momentum. This includes incorporating living green into medical techniques, but it also means making the medical community more sustainable in general. The amount of input that goes into creating arguably unneccessary drugs could be used much more effectively elsewhere (like feeding the hungry, or promoting sustainability). For example, there is evidence that kids with ADHD improved with interaction with the environment. Why should we spend money and resources to create new drugs when we could use treatments that are much less costly for the medical provider, patient, and the environment as well? I say, we need to acknowledge the benefit of interaction with nature, rather than relying upon science to fix all of our problems.
Right now, we are relying upon our ability to use science to solve problems to solve the problems we're causing with our science. As humans, we are continuously finding new ways to adapt to our environment and solve pressing problems. This is one of the greatest abilities of our species; yet, it also seems to be getting us in trouble fast. Instead of realizing that we are causing problems that will be painful to everyone, we mistakenly think that because we fix all the rest of our problems we will be able to fix the environment. Well, fixing the world that we are currently destroying requires that we consider the health of everyone in this system, and not just focusing on the individual.
Living green and mental health (4/08/2008)
"Living green" means living in an environmentally respectful and sustaining way. It means embracing nature, embracing our role in nature, and respecting our dependence on it. It has been argued that living green can change the way we think about the world. We shift our focus from selfish desires to a holistic respect for all things.
Mental health can be greatly impacted by one's decision to live green. Living green increases self-esteem and generally leads to the knowledge that one is "doing good." This knowledge is incredibly beneficial to mental health. It is argued that nature can counteract the effects of stress in the body, for a number of reasons. Essentially, our inborn affinity for nature helps us to feel relaxed and "at home" with nature. This is the basis for the concept of ecotherapy. The health of an individual person is directly related to the health of other people and the planet as a whole.
A holistic approach to environmental psychology (4/03/2008)
Gestalt is a German word, roughly meaning "form" or "structure." Wolfgang Kohler was a gestalt psychologist who did research on insight learning, or sudden perceptual reorganization of one's environment to solve a problem. It is not the details of the scenario that are important to solving the problem, but how we perceive the scenario as a whole. The details are only as important as all of the other details involved. We can gain great insight from repeating the classic gestalt saying, "THe whole is greater than the sum of its parts." This may be a critical way of viewing the world if we want to improve our relationship with our environment.
Before we can make any substantial changes towards a more eco-friendly existence, we, as a species, need to acknowledge that we are just a piece of a much larger puzzle. Humnas too often think of ourselves as what is important, and our needs always come first. This is ludicrous because without us, the world would still exist, and many organisms would even be much better off. If we were more holistically minded, people might find it easier to accept that we do not exist independently of nature. We are a part of it, and we are very dependent upon nature for the resources it provides.
Basically, one of the greatest steps that we can take towards eco-friendly living is to acknowledge that humans are a part of an organic system. We are dependent upon the other members of this system, and they are dependent on us. Impressively, as a whole, we can contribute and gain much more than would ever have been possible individually. However, we must not forget that these opportunities are only available because we are interacting with our environment. If we fail to take responsibility for it, and subsequently destroy our planet, we will have done a great disservice to the world and ourselves. So, interact with nature; recognize your part in something greater than just yourself, and even greater than humanity itself. If we all took the time to do this, maybe we wouldn't be fighting to maintain stable climate systems.
Ecopsychology (4/01/2008)
How often do you get depressed? When was the last time you were sick? How about, when was the last time you went for a nice walk through nature? These might seem unrelated, but they may be highly dependent upon each other. Think about it: We get sick much more often in the wintertime. Specifically, we get sick more during the season when we lock ourselves in our houses, with circulated air and no natural light. How healthy does that sound? Maybe part of our problem isn't the cold itself, but the effects of it. When it gets rainy and cold outside, we clamor into our hidey-holes to keep from getting wet. Unfortunately, we end up hurting our immune systems and increasing the amount of pathogens we interact with in poorly circulated buildings.
Now, what about psychological illness and nature? This is the primary concern of Ecopsychology. Ecopsychologists believe that many psychological illness are the result of a disconnection from nature. In order to treat this, ecopsychologists put patients into wilderness situations. In these situations, mindfulness is emphasized. The idea here is to help the patient to feel more holistically engaged. It is important to think of ourselves as a part of nature, rather than in opposition to it. Psychologically, the repercussions of ignoring our connection with nature can be immense.
So, why do we do it? It seems as though there is much to gain from interaction with nature and much to lose from avoiding nature. Deep ecologists might say it is because of our deep-seeded anthropocentrism. People systematically attempt to reduce our world into atoms and even atomic particles, rather than embracing the wholeness of earthly existence. We must view ourselves as a part of the natural world in order to recognize not only the role we must play in protecting it, but also the role it plays in protecting us.
"An Inconvenient Truth" (3/24/2008)
Instead of having class last Thursday, we were given the assignment to watch the movie "An Inconvenient Truth." This is a film intended to incite activism to prevent the progression of global warming. I had never seen this film until today, but as most people who haven't lived under a rock for years, I had heard about it. Mostly, I remember hearing negative things about how unrealistic and one-sided it is.
I can now see why people responded to it this way.
I think it is out of fear. Al Gore did an awesome job of delineating the threat of global warming and providing evidence for it: from images of shrinking ice-caps to rising temperatures to increased C02 concentrations. He makes it clear that there is scientific evidence for this phenomenon and that we have an obligation not to just sit by and watch it happen. We must take a side in the debate on global warming, and we must act accordingly.
Such a call for action is frightening to people both because it comes along side of the suggestion that there is a looming threat and also because it requires lifestyle changes. It requires us to be more conscious of how we treat our planet and consequentially how we live our lives. Of course, the threat of some impending future doom is off-putting, but the fact that global warming is still considered something that the next generation will really be dealing with
makes it slightly easier to ignore. changing the way we live our lives, however, requires very substantial modifications in an immediate way. This is a threat to our lifestyles of convenience. It is not surprising, therefore, that this movie was met with criticism. People become defensive agains what they do not wish to accept.
I think it is a great film, though. Anyone with an interest in learning more about global climate change should take a look at it, regardless of what your initial inclinations are on the subject.
Cognitive Psychology (3/18/2008)
Some of the key areas of research in cognitive psychology can be very applicable to efforts in reducing environmental threats. For example, looking into topics such as how we peceive patters and how we perceive the passage of time and how/what we pay attention to. These subjects are very important because, as we already know, our past behaviors often influence our future behaviors. If we know what causes us to perceive the world as we do, we might be more capable of tapping into this perception as a way of countering poor environmental behaviors. For example, if the reason that we do not recycle is related to a failure to notice a pattern between not recycling and environmental degradation.
Also, stimulus recognition is something that is integral to increasing environmentally friendly behaviors. It takes more than raising awareness to actually make a difference. We need to apply our attention in places that are valuable and will help to make the most difference. We must also endeavor to show others how important it is to focus one's attention on solving these problems. This is precisely the reason why cognitive psychology is so important to reducing the current threat to the environment.
Developmental Psychology (3/11/2008)
Developmental psychology is an interesting field to look at in relation to conservation. It is important to notice the stages through which we grow and mature. These are the stage of development. The application of knowledge about developmental pscyhology to conservation efforts could be very valuable. In relation to last week's discussions, it could be benificial from the standpoint that it helps us to understand how humans develop and the impact that outside forces can have on that. This provides and additional area of interest for conservation research. It may become easier to persuade people to be eco-friendly when we can also demonstrate how not doing so is not just hurting the environment but also us. People tend to respond more positively when we make it personal and applicable to them. Developmental psychology is applicable to everyone.
In addition to focusing research in this field to strenghten persuasive arguments, developmental psychology is critical to making a major, long-term change. The knowledge of how we mature allows us to know when is the most appropriate time to condition children, adolescents, etc. to be good conservationalists. This almost sounds bad because it sounds coercive, but it is not. We have similar academic structures for when we teach children certain things. This is because they are more capable of processing them at specific points in their development. If we apply this understanding to environmental awareness, we could make a huge leap in the right direction with the next generation.
Focusing in on Developmental Disabilities (3/06/2008)
I think that it is important to acknowledge the role that psychologists play in ameliorating the threat of toxicants that cause developmental disabilities. The costs of developmental disabilities to society are extreme. In terms of monetary value, billions of dollars are spent on support for the developmentally disabled annually. Even if as little as ten percent (and it has been estimated as high as 25 percent) of developmental disabilities are caused by contact with toxicants, this is a huge sum. To reduce this cost would alleviate a great financial burden.
Well, for those of us who are less inclined to be persuaded to action by dollar signs, there are many more (arguable more important) issues that arise as a result of developmental disabilities. Developmental disabilities can put strain on parents economically, emotionally and physically. This can cause family conflict in addition to any hardships that the child with disabilities will have to endure. Psychologists work directly with the developmentally disabled and their families. In this role, it is critical to recognize that treating the symptoms is not enough. If we want to see a change, the problem must be addressed as well. Becoming active in testing and regulating chemicals is one great way to do this.
Toxicants and Developmental Disabilities (3/04/2008)
Today was my turn to present in class. The discussion that I led today pertains to toxicants in the environment and their connections to developmental disabilities. This is an incredibly frustrating topic to study because it includes everything from toxic metals such as lead and mercury to pesticides to dioxins formed in plastic production. All of these things, and many more can be harmful to the many delicate systems at work in the human body. It almost seems impossible to hope to avoid them, and it is also so difficult to isolate cause and effect relationships. Harmful substances can disrupt brain development during pregnancy and after. During pregnancy, the fetus is exposed to toxins that the mother is
exposed to through the placenta. Placenta is rich in nutrients from the mother in order to ensure that the growing fetus receives plenty of nourishment. Unfortunately, if the mother is coming into contact with substances that will accumulate in her body, the placenta will store these for the baby as well. Once the infant is born, direct contact with toxic substances can occur in many ways.
I focused my presentation today on information that was found on the Institute for Children's Environmental Health webpage: www.iceh.org/resources.html. This page lists some of the more commonly accepted chemical toxicants that we come into contact with. I highly recommend checking out this page. I would especially recommend the part on baby care products for anyone with children or who are looking to have children in the near future.
Psychological Effects of Toxic Substances (2/28/2008)
Today we began our discussion of the psychological effects of toxicants in our environment. This includes everything from pesticides, to heavy metals (lead, mercury, etc), to PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), plastics and solvents. The negative effects of some of these substances came as no shock to me: lead is a highly publicized threat; they won't let us touch the old mercury thermometers in the chemistry labs; and my mom always made me wash my apples off for fear I might swallow up some pesticides. Yet, there are definitely some aspects of this field that shocked me.
When toxins get into your system, they can disrupt integral processes in the body. Take PCBs for example. PCBs are organic compounds that were banned in the 1970s for their known toxic effects. However, they are persistent bioaccumulative toxins, which means that they're sticking around and working their way up the food chain. By the time they reach humans, they are highly concentrated in the meats that we are eating (just one more reason to go vegetarian!!). PCBs are known endocrine disrupting substances. This means they screw with hormone production, which can have detrimental effects on a multitude of body systems. Everything from immunity to mental state can be impacted.
For most of us, the last thing we need is another source of stress in our lives. Well, did you know that the convenient plastics you microwave your lunch in are stressors to your body and potentially your mind as well? What about the fumes from your favorite old car? Or the rat poison you put in your basement and cupboards to keep the pests away? All of these substances, and many more are contributing to our collective stress levels. People like me stress about the impact these things are having on the environment, and all of our bodies suffer physical stress responses to them. The fight, flight, or freeze response is actually activated when you come into contact with these substances! Even if there were no scientific proof that these substances are harmful, that should be a clue. Add in the evidence, and it must make you wonder why we allow ourselves to be faced with these avoidable health risks.
| View/Add comments |
Self-Evaluation (2/26/2008)
I think that my participation in class is definitely improving. I could probably talk more, but I am happy because based on my general level of vocal participation in classes...I am doing very well. :-)
I don't actually have much to say in the way of constructive criticism. I was actually very pleasantly surprised to discover that this class has not only taught me about how to be more environmentally conscious but how to actually make beneficial changes in my life. At the risk of sounding like a kiss-ass, I love this class!
| View/Add comments |
The Power of Convenience (2/21/2008)
I know this sounds trite, but the last time I checked "convenience" was not what we were trying to protect in the US Constitution or the Declaration of Independence. Ha, there are parts of it where convenience can be applied, though. What would the pursuit of happiness be if nothing were ever convenient? It'd be inconvenient, that's what. My point, you ask? Well, basically, it is this: Americans (an this is a gross generalization) live for convenience. We pay sky-high prices for extra-processed foods so we don't have to cook ourselves. We buy machines that will do everything from wash our clothes for us to sort our pennies....we are always searching for something that will make life easier. So, my natural conclusion from this (and correct me if I'm wrong)...Let's make sustainability more convenient! Improve public transportation (and maybe reduce the amount of parking in big cities as a further incentive to use the conveniently available public transportation); we need to teach people how to recycle properly and what the benefits of it are, so that when we never walk up to a recycling bin and have no idea which items we can and cannot put inside! There are so many changes that we can make as a society that would make sustainability convenient, and thus popular. So, why I ask, haven't we done it yet? I know that there must be lobbyists for these sort of initiatives.
Besides, this is our earth. It's the only one we have, and our modern conveniences are going to disappear fast if something doesn't change. At some point technology won't be able to keep up with itself anymore; and what'll we do then? Why not start now, when the problems are extreme but can still be rectified?
| View/Add comments |
Behavior Change Tools (2/19/2008)
For class today, we were asked to read about some of the tools for behavior change. I am going to talk a bit about the use of prompts here. I specifically read about prompts, and they are a great tool to help you make your behavior changes. I am already using them to remind me to turn my heater off when I leave my room. However, the most critical fact that I took away from my study on prompts is that they work for people who are already trying to make a change, but they are not enough to spark that change (in general). So, when creating prompts, make the message simple and clear, but make it noticable (bright colors, pithy sayings, you name it). Also, make it easy. If the purpose of your prompt is to remind people to recycle, put it in close proximity to the recycle bin. This reminds people at the appropriate time to make the appropriate behavior. Thus, they are more likely to actually recycle, and having done it once are more likely to do it again....this is a form of using the foot-in-the-door technique which I talked about a couple of weeks ago! Isn't it wonderful how we can use all of these theories and techniques to create a well-rounded and impactful plan of action! Now let's go out and use it.
| View/Add comments |
Consumerism...I know, I know...just hear me out (2/14/2008)
Honestly, prior to taking this course, I hadn't thought much about the environmental impacts of production (except maybe oil and radioactive products)...I generally thought about the socio-economic impacts. Well, that made it difficult for me to put any effort into changing my behavior because I had no idea that I even needed to do something about it.
Well, here are some of the things that I have learned and have found incredibly valuable. There are three critical areas in which we can cut down our consumption that will have a huge impact. First, transportation uses a great deal of non-renewable resources and produces an equally detrimental amount of pollutants into the atmosphere. So, we should try to consider things like where we live in relation to stores, work, school, friends, etc. Think before you buy! Second, food is a product that has huge production effects. In order to minimize these effects, it is beneficial to buy and eat less meat (it's also good for your health...) and to purchase organic foods. Who wants to injest all those lab-created pesticides anyway? And thirdly, energy use can be made more sustainable. Switching to renewable forms of energy can be a very positive change! Also, back to the "think before you buy" mentallity, consider the energy efficiency of your house, consider solar power whenever possible...etc.
These changes, which basically require a bit more planning and effort but are not terribly difficult, are much more environmentally sustainable than our current processes. So, let's try them out!
Oh, and as a side-note, I learned today that fluorescent lightbulbs have mercury in them, so they need to be disposed of separately. They are a great way to cut down electricity use, but it is important to find a place where you can safely return this product when you are done with it.
| View/Add comments |
Oh, Be-Have (2/12/2008)
I took learning psychology my sophomore year, but I think I got more out of one day of discussing how we can use classical and operant conditioning to make a difference in the environment than I did in the entirety that semester class. (Then again, the fact that I took that class probably impacted how much I got out of this class)
I want to talk a little bit about behavior change and what this requires. In our text (authored by Deborah Winter and susan Koger), there is a list of steps to take towards making a permanent behavioral change. Here it is:
1) Define the problem
2) Make a public commitment
3) Observe baseline behavior (about a week or two)
4) Design stimulus control
5) Formulate a contract
6) Check on changed behavior
These are the steps that we used in defining our personal change projects in class, and it has really helped me to focus on what I need to change, how I am going to do it, and to always be mindful of it. It is important to note that in the stimulus control portions of this system, we must include systems of reinforcement and/or punishment in order to facilitate conditioning that will lead to an ultimate change in behavior. I think that it is fascinating that reinforcement is more likely to bring about a permanent change, whereas punishment is more likely to create a temporary change...and yet, we seem to want to give ourselves punishers instead of rewards. Diets are a perfect example... people who tell themselves "if I eat something I shouldn't, I don't get to go out tomorrow night." That can be a successful system, but it is certainly not ideal. So, when we are going about our behavior change efforts, we should try to remember that positive (eco-friendly) rewards are more likely to have a positive impact on our behavior.
| View/Add comments |
Capitalistic Consumerism (2/07/2008)
Am I the only person who gets tired of hearing about how horrible the United States is with our capitalistic, materialistic methods of buying and selling? Well, today, I had a break-through. I began to agree. Someone in class mentioned the fact that a certain, cheap store is currently selling "Save the Whales" shirts for children. At first glance, this is awesome! This promotes environmentally friendly acts in youth. Start 'em young! However, upon deeper consideration, these shirts were still made and processed in another country and had to be shipped overseas to arrive on this beloved discount store rack. This is a lot of wasted resources, and I'm not even going to go into the probable working conditions of the employees who actually made the shirts.... What I do want to point out is that nothing is actually accomplished through wearing this shirt. It gives people the false sense that they are making a difference. Awareness is a great tool, and is absolutely essential to the process of bringing about change, but it is not enough. Action is necessary. Unfortunately, none of the proceeds from this shirt actually go to save any whales and such.... Now, I'm not saying that I have a problem with people buying and wearing said clothing item...I just hope that people keep things such as the externalities of the shirt-making process and the fact that this awareness needs to be accompanied by action in mind.
| View/Add comments |
We are social animals... (2/05/2008)
It never ceases to amaze me how much seemingly different things can be related. I know that social psychology and conservation psychology share psychology as their focus, but came into this course expecting to find a different paradigm. However, we began our discussion of how social psychology impacts and is impacted by the environment today. From our conersation, I would like to discuss two points that I found interesting and which I plan to implement:
1) Have you ever heard of Foot-in-the-door technique? The name comes from the door-to-door salesman's trick of sticking your foot in the door, so the potential client can't close the door and is more likely to invite you in. This has the same basic meaning in psychology. In short, foot-in-the-door suggests that if you get people to agree to minor tasks, such as placing a small bumper sticker on their cars, they are more likely to agree to larger tasks. I am sure that this is something that activists are taking advantage of as they try to bring about change, which is awesome. Now, I would like to try to use this technique with my housemates. I will start by getting them to recycle by making it easy and accessible; then I will try upgrading to getting our house collectively to purchase fewer heavily packaged items. I will do this through modeling and by simply asking.
2) The Norm activation theory of altruism basically states that people will make an effort to protect the environment if one feels a moral obligation as well as personal norms which carry an awareness of the potential of harm. This is critical information to have if one wants to induce these people to activism. I think that this can be a very tool, if utilized correctly. It is critical that we make it clear what the negative impacts of NOT protecting the environment are and that we do not make it threatening. We need to educate people about the possible negative outcomes and about how to change their behavior so that it becomes easy. Hopefully, through this, a sense of obligation will grow.
| View/Add comments |
Return to Top Focus the Nation (1/30/2008)
Today was Focus the Nation, a national global warming awareness day. Schools, from kindergartens to colleges, participated in this astounding event. My conservation psychology class was even lucky enough to be a part of one of the symposiums! How awesome is that? Unfortunately for me, I missed it. :-( I was home sick, but I have every intention of watching it on t.v. or else on video next month! In an effort to feel that I didn't miss out on this event entirely, I visited the webpage for the national event at http://www.focusthenation.org/index.php.
It never ceases to amaze me how easy some people find it to ignore the facts. Reputable world scientists have accetped global warming as a global phenomenon that is dramatically exacerbated by human activity; why can't everyone else? I get so frustrated when people tell me that they "believe in global warming," they just don't believe it's that big of a deal...after all, "climate change is a natural cycle." That is true, there are trends in warming, however, it is undeniable that human activity is making this trend incredibly more pronounced than it needs to be. Even if someone does believe that global warming is a natural trend, why on earth would you want to continue contributing to it?
I wish that there were some way to make it clear to everyone that this is not just something that we can get through with advanced technology. The impact of global warming extends beyond a bit of added warmth. Tropical diseases will spread; glaciers will melt, submerging many "coastal" towns [including every place I've ever called home :-(]; many species will become extinct; and in essence life on this planet will change dramatically for the worse, and perhaps irreparably. The following diagram (taken from My Greenspace Buddies) shows some predictions about enviornmental systems as temperatures continue to rise:
| View/Add comments |
Climate Change Research (1/28/2008)
Our assignment for today was to research global warming a bit. Well, here are the webpages that I found as a result of that quest. Take a look at a few of them. They are very intriguing:
- http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ This one is interesting because it has soooo much information, but is very nonchalant about the whole issue in general
- http://www.globalwarming.org/ Now, this one is a bit different. This is actually a webpage that is arguing against those who are anti-global warming. I was torn between anger, frustration, and a bit of entertainment when reading this one.
- http://www.stopglobalwarming.org/
- What is global warming? What are its causes? -- Stanford University
| View/Add comments |
How do we take relevant action? (1/24/2008)
I'm starting to wonder how realistically a lot of environmentalists approach others. I mean, the spiritual, sentimental attitude expressed by some seems to be something that would turn a lot of people away. I'd guess that the majority of people who could be moved by this are already environmentalists. Similarly, when someone stands up and shouts criticisms in people's faces, they just shut down, ignore it. When dealing with an issue in which one's comfort levels are already at stake, it is unwise to give people an easy way to rationalize their actions/thoughts.
That being said, I recognize that these tactics will be useful for some people. I think that using the knowledge of Freud's defense mechanisms (see 1/22/08) could help a great deal in showing people how important environmental issues are. In recent years, people have been doing well by explaining enviornmental problems via scientific evidence. By doing this, it becomes easier to be persuasive without being accusatory.
I know that this worked for me; it's how I became a vegetarian. I was on a trip to Boston last spring (eep, the air pollution!), and I met a wonderful man there. One evening, when a group of us were out to dinner, I enquired about his reasons for being a vegetarian. He referred me to a book called Diet for a Small Planet. Now, this book is stocked full of facts on how vegetarianism, and especially veganism, can reduce one's impact on the planet and on fellow humans. It is an older book; I believe the revision that I read was published in 1995. However, it is highly relevant and it took me all of two days to become a vegetarian after reading it. So, I suppose after all my ramblings, the point is: fight with facts, and make it too hard to ignore the problem...and people won't (hopefully?).
| View/Add comments |
The powers of the subconscious (1/22/2008)
Freud was/is an interesting guy. I find it amusing how much psychology, as a discipline, both ridicules and revere's him. Anyway, his views on the subconscious mind are intriguingly applicable. I know that I intellectualize environmental issues a lot. I talk about how things need to change, and have been known to assume that is good enough. I think this is especially easy to do at an academic institution. We are taught to acknowledge what is going on in the world, but we tend to become too preoccupied with getting 'A's, into grad school, or seeing our friends to take it any further. Intellecualizing just makes us feel better...like we're doing something even when we're not.
I predict, however, that rationalization is the most prevalent of the defense mechanisms Freud discusses. Simply devising an excuse for our behaviour is probably the easiest way to deal with such a huge and potentially terrifying issue. It is easy to say that it is someone else's responsibility, or to say that "the ivy is pretty too" (Elizabeth, lecture). In a lot of ways, it can be physically and psychologically easier to convince yourself that what you are doing is justified. I certainly hope that recognizing this will help me do it less. Actually, here is a list of the defense mechanisms that Freud would argue help us to ignore/justify our roles in the problem of environmental degradation:
- Denial: claiming/believing that what is true is actually false.
- Displacement: redirecting emotions to a substitute target.
- Intellectualization: taking an objective viewpoint.
- Projection: attributing uncomfortable feelings to others.
- Rationalization: creating false but credible justifications.
- Reaction Formation: reacting in a violently opposite way to the fear.
- Regression: going back to acting as a child.
- Repression: pushing uncomfortable thoughts into the subconscious.
- Sublimation: redirecting 'wrong' urges into socially acceptable actions.
(changingminds.org)
I recommend taking a minute to think of one way that you use each of these mechanisms. I hope that this will help you to make some changes (in any part of your life), as it has helped me to be more enviornmentally conscious.
| View/Add comments |
A little goes a long way... (1/21/2008)
Damn I'm cold! After removing invasive ivy for a couple hours, I'm wearing 2 sweaters, wrapped up in a blanket, and still cold. Our class volunteered with Into the Streets on MLK Jr. Day, and our project was removing invasive ivy. I think that it was a great opportunity, in spite of the cold. In my mind, this project was a scaled-down representation of the greater problem at hand. At first glance, the problem appears so huge that there is almost no point in attempting to rectify it. 1) There's no way we could remove ALL this ivy! and 2) Ivy grows fast. It'll be back soon anyway, so what's the point?
Once you get going, though, you can see the changes. Pulling up just one strand of ivy can make a noticable impact on the area. Also, when we worked as a group to do it, we were able to clear a fairly decent sized area! I think this is an excellent metaphor for the larger problem of environmental degradation. It took the doomster in me and made me slightly more hopeful!
| View/Add comments |
After the first week of class (1/17/2008)
I think that it is ridiculous that we spend so much time trying to redirect blame! The developing countries target industrialized countries, and vice nersa. What I wonder about is, do they really believe that it's all on the other "half?" Or, are they/we just that self-indulgent? I imagine that it is probably everyone. Industrialized nations are exhorbitant and have a real talent for polluting. Developing countries have less efficient systems and a great deal of waste and pollution as a result. Nothing can be improved until we modify our approach to be more all-encompassing. The environment isn't your problem. It's also not my problem. It's OUR problem. Until we can embrace this fact as a global community, we will be unable to make the sort of progress that is needed for sustainability.
| View/Add comments |
Conservation Psychology Blogging Endeavor (1/15/2008)
This blog will serve as my paper-free journal for documenting thoughts and activities that arise as a part of the conservation psych seminar I am taking this semester. Here I will distribute thoughts, reflections, and hopefully a few insights that are relevant to the course material, as well as documenting progress with my Personal Footprint Reduction project. My project will consist of me attempting to reduce my water and electricity usage by as much as possible....feel free to shoot me messages to help keep me accountable for this!
For anyone who is curious about his/her own ecological footprint, there is a footprint calculator, provided by the Earthday network, HERE.
Just for record-keeping purposes, according to this quiz:
I will use 11 acres of land/resources in order to maintain my standard of living. The breakdown is as follows: Food - 3.5 acres; Mobility - .2 acres; Shelter - 3.7 acres; and Goods/Services - 3.7 acres. Basically, what this means is that if everyone in the world lived according to my lifestyle, it would take 2.6 planets to sustain us....kind of scary, right?
| View/Add comments |