What’s the key to inspiring positive action on climate change? Seeing and hearing about real solutions, says climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe PhD. Not only will you be more likely to act &#…
“One of the biggest reasons our personal lifestyle choices matter when it comes to the climate crisis is that what we do changes us. And the other big reason is that what we do and say changes others, too.”
Behavioral contagion is a real psychological phenomenon and it can spread shockingly fast. There is even evidence to suggest that behavioral contagion is a more powerful way of changing peoples’ behavior than rationally explaining why a change would be in their best interest.
When people say that small, personal changes still matter this is what they are talking about. One person recycling or installing solar panels or building a pollinator garden in their backyard may not make a big difference in the scheme of the greater problem, but many people taking those actions can make a big difference. Sometimes sending a message about what your community values and what is worth investing resources in is as important as the physical change itself.
Small personal changes matter because of how they change you and how they can change your community.
