“If the future of our planet depends on a few people willing to make personal sacrifices, we’re not going to make it.” – behavioral scientist Jiaying Zhao
Longer version of quote:
“When most people think about climate action, they immediately default to things they have to give up for the planet. This mindset is so ingrained in us, partly because the current narrative from climate action is about personal sacrifice – drive less, eat less meat, shop less. Less, less, less. Now, I’m a behavioral scientist, so trust me when I say this – this framing doesn’t make us feel great. If anything, it makes us feel shameful and guilty. And those negative emotions are not conducive to long-term behavior change because they make us retreat and disengage. If the future of our planet depends on a few people willing to make personal sacrifices, we’re not going to make it.”
Instead of browbeating ourselves for not sacrificing our personal happiness at the alter of climate-friendly action, she recommends that we focus on taking actions that are both good for the environment and good for our individual happiness. She says this isn’t as hard as it sounds.
Moreover, due to network effects, our climate-friendly, self-serving actions can have a surprisingly large impact on the behavior of others around us and eventually even on larger systems by contributing momentum that pushes them toward tipping points.
“It’s actions in the sweet spot that not only reduce emissions, but also make you feel happier at the same time. Now, I know that some of you may think that individual actions may seem trivial without large-scale system change. I get that. But let me tell you how I think about this as a behavior change expert. Our individual actions do matter because they can spread like a ripple effect to instigate collective action. They send a market signal to businesses, and they can trigger broader structural institutional change. So, yes, we do need system change, but we also need individual behavior change. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
In her talk she provides a few simple recommendations for these types of actions. They aren’t new, but it is interesting to hear that research reveals that these climate-friendly actions are also conducive to personal happiness. The framing makes these actions more attractive.
When I cut back on the amount of beef I eat, I definitely started to notice changes in the way I felt physically, mentally and emotionally. I still eat beef, but only in small amounts and as she recommends, I try to remember to enjoy it. When I fall into the trap of eating too much beef, I regret it physically, mentally and emotionally. So, at the very least in this case for me, the climate-friendly action of eating more veggies and less beef has in fact corresponded with an increase in personal happiness.
Agency (主体性) + Purpose (志) + Growth (成長) + Connection (繋がり) + Contribution (貢献) = Meaning (意義)
Link to Ted Radio Hour interview with Jiaying Zhao
Links to pair of essays I wrote about 15 years ago on emerging research aligning “enlightened” self-interest with the power of social networks to drive to positive social change:
“Enlightened” self-interest is about embracing rather than ignoring or rejecting our connections with other people
Making waves in an inter-connected world
© Dana Cogan, 2024, all rights reserved.