ABSTRACT

Global warming. Many of us believe that it is somebody else’s problem, that it will affect other people and that other people will come up with the solution. This is not true. "Global" warming is a global problem: it will affect every single one of us and will only be stopped by a huge shift in our individual attitudes and behaviour. Each time one of us switches on a light, reaches for something in a supermarket, gets into a car or bus, or even chooses what clothes to buy, we are making a choice that can affect the environment. We already know that we need to start making better choices for the sake of our natural world, now.

So why aren’t we already saving the planet? This book follows one psychologist’s mission to find some answers to this question. Challenged by a student to use psychology to find the root of the problem, Geoffrey Beattie (an environmental "unbeliever") begins a personal and life-changing journey of discovery. The reader is invited to accompany him as he uses psychological methods to examine people’s attitudes to global warming. Along the way we find the author’s own attitudes being challenged, as well as our own.

This ground-breaking book reflects new and innovative research being carried out into how to change attitudes to the environment and how to encourage sustainable behaviour. It is eminently readable and interesting and, as such, should be read by anyone who is concerned about the future of our planet. In fact, you should also read it if you’re not concerned about our planet.

chapter 1|12 pages

Motivations implicit and explicit

part |2 pages

PART I Notes on attitude

part |2 pages

PART II Notes on habits

chapter 8|12 pages

Eden reclaimed

chapter 9|12 pages

Old habits

part |2 pages

PART III Notes on dissociation

chapter 10|12 pages

In two minds

chapter 11|18 pages

Speech and revealing movement

chapter 13|16 pages

Taking big risks

part |2 pages

PART IV Emotion and thought

chapter 14|22 pages

An inconvenient truth?

chapter 15|14 pages

Reaching boiling point?

chapter 16|8 pages

Some conclusions and some action plans