Dr. Green: Do Small Environmental Actions Make a Difference?

Dr. Green,

I hear a lot that “doing something, no matter how small” to fight environmental destruction will help you feel better, but I have doubts. Does psychology back this up? (I’ve been doing environmental activism for 20 years, so I don’t need this incentive, myself. I’m just wondering about encouraging new people.)

Yes, many studies have proven the efficacy of “doing something, no matter how small.” The science of how “every little thing helps” spans several key areas such as mental well-being, physical health, sociological change, and habit formation — tiny, consistent changes to your routine that build momentum, eventually turning into powerful and automatic behaviors that help you achieve larger goals.

Small acts are important to your health because you’re taking a bit of control back from global forces beyond your control. In 2018 research by Topor, Bøe, & Larsen in the Community Mental Health Journal found that engaging in daily micro-affirmations and micro-acts lowers cortisol, reduces anxiety, and rewires your brain through neuroplasticity.

And daily decisions shape the systems around us. If enough individuals can make better choices, markets and policies can make changes at scale.

For example, one person using a reusable water bottle may seem too small to matter, but according to the United Nations Act Now campaign, if millions of people adopt sustainable lifestyle choices, the cumulative effect scales up and signals to industries and governments that consumer demand is shifting toward sustainability. This is the power of collective action.

These small acts create a ripple effect when observed by the people around you. You don’t have to brag about your actions or criticize people who don’t immediately see their value. Friends, neighbors, and coworkers will observe your choices, see that they work for you, and try them too. It’s in the better angels of our nature to want to do the right thing; maybe they just didn’t know how to start, or what to do, or want to be the first. The individuals lead by example and community members notice. When they see you doing something, it may go viral.

Science is clear: Small environmental acts by one individual absolutely make a difference — on both the personal and community level.

So, readers: What small sustainability steps will you take?

Go for it!

Dr. Green

Dear Dr. Green, I can relate very much to the recent title “What If Your Job Doesn’t Align with Your Eco-Values?” but my situation is quite different. I love my job, and I am not looking for a new one; I get along extremely well with my team, and the job is very low stress, leaving me plenty of time and energy to pursue my passions (like conservation) on the side. However, I am a cog in the wheel of a sprawling bureaucracy, and I too see so much waste. I am personally complicit in activities such as booking flights for meetings that could be conducted online and ordering non-organic, non-plant-based food with disposable serving ware. When I have mentioned concerns about sustainability to coworkers, I always get the sense that everyone is in a similar position: just a cog forced to comply with the dictates of policy, budget constraints, monopolistic contracts, professional customs, etc. For me, it has become all too easy to mentally dissociate from my day job, tell myself that I’m powerless to change the system, that it’s only a means to a paycheck, and that I can support conservation in my free time… but of course there are significant moral problems in such dissociation. I am sure that there are many, many workplaces like my own. What can us “cogs” do to fight institutional inertia that is harming the planet?

Before we get to your question, let’s examine your use of the psychological term “dissociation.” Perhaps you meant you were becoming disengaged, complacent, or apathetic — all situations that carry their own psychological implications. Dissociation is a severe, crippling condition that results from trauma, as in PTSD. The family of dissociative disorders includes a range of extremely serious, debilitating mental conditions that in extreme cases can result in catatonic depression.

I bring this up not to criticize your word choice, but because trauma, PTSD, and related symptoms remain underdiscussed, underdiagnosed, and undertreated in environmental and conservation communities. This is hard work that can carry a burden, whether you do it full-time or as side projects. If you — or any of our readers — feel you are dissociating but have not been diagnosed yet, please seek clinical help immediately. People suffering from dissociative disorders often cannot work or function effectively and need continuous therapeutic care throughout their lives. The leading cause of death for people suffering from post-trauma dissociative disorders is suicide. You can find out more about this heartbreaking condition in the resources section.

Having said that, let’s get to the core of your question: You seem to describe a situation in which you’re comfortable and indicate you don’t wish to quit your job, but that you’re unhappy with the lack of environmental practices in your company. Ask yourself if you’re afraid of change in your work? Or is it simple inertia on your part?

You have two choices: One, you can create change in your current workplace. For example, you can research how to make your workplace more environmentally friendly, then draw up a plan for changes and present them to your boss.

Or, to echo our first question, maybe some of the changes can start with you. You may feel like a cog in the machine, but that means the machine depends on you — use that to your advantage. Instead of traveling for work by default, say “I’d like to schedule this online to save time and money and reduce emissions.” When ordering meals, go ahead and order more plant-based options and ask for compostable bamboo utensils and plates. What other choices are in your control? Act first and see if others follow.

Or two, you can find a new job with an organization more aligned with your beliefs — for example, sustainability-focused roles or organizations. ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) positions are growing rapidly across various industries, not just in traditional conservation sectors. You might choose to seek similar job positions where you can apply your existing skills to an eco-friendly nonprofit or business. See our resources below for information on environmental jobs.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Dr. Green

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Disclaimer: This column is not a replacement for therapy, and the advice given is educational in nature, not a replacement for professional psychological or psychiatric therapy. This is a peer-driven support effort by The Revelator to inform and build community with environmental and wildlife defenders.

If you are feeling critically depressed and suicidal, it’s time to immediately find professional help. Go to your closest emergency room or call the following numbers to get immediate help in your area:

SUICIDE HOTLINES

Worldwide: http://www.befrienders.org/support/

United Kingdom: http://www.samaritans.org

USA: http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

1-800-273-TALK

Resources

Dr. Green: What If Your Job Doesn’t Align with Your Eco-Values? (See Resources section of this article for green job boards)

Dissociation and Dissociative Disorders

International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5: DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria for PTSD

DSM-5: Dissociative Disorders

The David Suzuki Foundation