Below, Elizabeth Dunn and Jiaying Zhao share five key insights from their new book, Leave the Lights On: How Joyful Decisions Can Save Our Species.
Elizabeth is a happiness researcher and a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Jiaying is a climate behavioral scientist and professor at UBC.
What’s the Big Idea?
Fighting climate change doesn’t have to involve sacrifice and misery—many environmentally friendly choices can add joy to life! Climate action works best when it makes people happier.
Listen to the audio version of this Book Bite—read by Elizabeth and Jiaying—in the Next Big Idea App, or buy the book.
1. Happiness is our best weapon to fight climate change.
The topic of climate change can be pretty depressing. But it doesn’t have to be. In fact, many of the changes that we need to make in our lives to tackle climate change can make us happier. One recent study found that engaging in pro-environmental behaviors, like walking, can boost our happiness as much as traditional self-care activities like taking a bubble bath. It’s much easier to stick with lifestyle changes we enjoy than those we dread.
Not only that, but when people feel happy, they tend to be more creative. They are better at finding novel solutions to hard problems. And that’s exactly what we need when it comes to fighting climate change.
2. Small tweaks to your eating habits can cut your carbon footprint and make you happier.
You don’t have to give up meat to fight climate change. Just eating meat a little less often can make a real difference. My research shows that having foods we enjoy less frequently can actually enhance our ability to enjoy them.
If you love meat, though, think about eating white meat rather than red meat. Choosing chicken or pork instead of beef makes almost as much difference as going vegetarian.
“Think about eating white meat rather than red meat.”
That said, compared to eating meat, it’s true that fruit, vegetables, and other plant-based products are best for the environment. The surprising thing is that eating more plants might also make you happier. New research shows that when people start eating more fruits and vegetables, their happiness levels rise. And there’s even some evidence that eating a little bit more produce can make people more physically attractive.
3. Where you stash your money matters more than what you buy.
The internet is loaded with tips on how to make more environmentally friendly shopping choices. Most of these choices don’t make a huge difference, though. But where you keep your money really matters.
If you have a thousand dollars tucked away in a savings account at a typical U.S. or Canadian bank, it’s generating about as much carbon each year as a one-way flight from New York to Seattle. This is because most big North American banks use your money to invest in the fossil fuel industry. But there are plenty of other options out there. To find banks in your area that won’t use your money to fund the fossil fuel industry, check out the nonprofit As You Sow.
Of course, as a happiness researcher, I will be the first to admit that changing banks probably isn’t the most fun way you could spend a Saturday. But you only have to do it once, and then you can feel good about reaping the carbon savings for years.
4. Exploration close to home can boost happiness (almost carbon-free!).
Staycations emit far less carbon than flights to a faraway destination. Exploring tourist attractions close to home may boost happiness while minimizing the unpleasantness of devoting a vacation day to getting there.
Are there popular tourist attractions nearby that you’ve never visited? It turns out that many people miss out on the tourist attractions in their own backyards. They only get around to visiting these attractions when out-of-town guests come to visit or when they themselves are about to move away. So, consider becoming a tourist in your own hometown.
If you don’t have much time, simply treat the weekend like a vacation by staying in a hotel in a part of town you haven’t visited before. Check out the shops, restaurants, and the scenery for a renewed sense of connection.
“Staycations emit far less carbon than flights to a faraway destination.”
If you are going to fly, it’s worth splurging on a nonstop flight whenever possible. The most carbon-intensive part of a flight is takeoff. So, don’t do it twice. Also, fly with only carry-on baggage. In terms of carbon, packing a typical checked bag is equivalent to bringing an extra six-year-old child with you.
5. If you make joyful changes, other people will follow suit, quickly.
You don’t need people to do the right thing for the right reason; you just need them to do the right thing. And the best way to get them to do the right thing is to model your own behavior.
How many people do you need to change the system? Not one person, not 51 percent; it turns out that number is around 25 percent. Damon Centola and his colleagues have conducted carefully controlled experiments to show that when 25 percent of people in a group change their behavior, it can trigger the rest of the group to follow.
It can be tempting to tell people about the hard things you’ve done. But telling other people about changes you’ve made that were easy will make them more likely to copy you. For example, if you found an easy way to eat more fruits and vegetables, share your recipes or strategies with other people.
And if you did something harder, like installing solar panels or buying an electric vehicle, sharing your knowledge with others can make it much easier for them to follow in your footsteps. I recently bought my first EV, and I love it, so I’ve been telling everyone. After all, happiness is contagious.
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