Fighting climate change: What’s being mindful, outside and at school got to do with it?

Abstract

Although climate change education strategies have succeeded in spreading awareness, they also create a sense of fear and urgency that not only fails to change environmentally unsustainable behavior but may increase this behavior. The failure of current strategies and the paradoxical increase of environmentally unsustainable behavior may be explained by a theory known as terror management theory. This theory posits that if people are faced with an existential crisis, like climate change, they may cling even tighter onto their current ways. A novel solution to alleviate terror management theory is inspiring and empowering people. Inspiration and empowerment will teach people to see environmentally sustainable behavior as a healthier alternative to their current ways rather than an existential crisis. Therefore, they are more likely to welcome change rather than fear it. My study aims to see if mindfulness, connection to nature, and differing undergraduate programs affects sustainable consumption behavior. These factors are thought to inspire and empower people. If these factors can affect sustainable consumption behavior, then they may inspire and empower people to fight climate change. I predict that individuals who are more mindful and connected to nature will also have more sustainable consumption behavior. Furthermore, programs that highlight environmental issues will allow students to have a better connection to nature and more sustainable consumption behavior. If there is evidence to support, my hypotheses then factors that influence sustainable consumption behavior should be taught in schools. These factors would not only increase environmental behavior but increase the student’s overall wellbeing.