Re: How to link carism and environmentalism
Robert Dierker <[email protected]> Fri, 19 Oct 2012 16:58:42 -0700 (PDT)
| Newsgroups | gmane.politics.activism.carfree-network |
|---|---|
| Message-ID | <[email protected]> |
------=_Part_1122_14689708.1350691122140 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Thanks for the response relative to psychology. I think there is a key in what you are perusing: There's an emotional response to private cars that has to be addressed before the science can be seen. I think the problem isn't about what the local environmental "leaders" like David Suzuki et al are trying to do here in Vancouver, but rather their refusal to put the message out that carism exists. There's this idea that we can all have a car and just use it when life gets tough. This is as un-sustainable as the structures that support it. It doesn't seem possible to create a venue where these "leaders" can absorb the many facets of carism. I sometimes get a small window, get a chance to relate one point - say city land abuse - and then the discussion deteriorates like watching a bunch of children who have just been told why recess has been canceled. It's not about logic. It's not about science. It's about generations of brainwashing. It really makes me ask myself why I'm not driving as well. What do we do about this psychology? This is such an immediate need, yet the proponents of change, themselves, are blinded. Bob. 604-440-0860 On Wednesday, October 17, 2012 8:00:02 AM UTC-7, Gabrielle Hermann wrote: > > Oh man, I feel for you! I'm an American/German living in Germany for > precisely that reason. I just wrote a scientific article on car-free > households (hopefully to be published early next year, if accepted). One of > the great paradoxes is that being an environmentalist is in some cases > negatively associated with being car-free. There are a bunch of > psychologists in Germany trying to figure out this irony. One of the > theoretical constructs that has been used to explain this is called the > Theory of Planned Behavior. For instance, the likelihood that an > individual will develop an intention to travel by bicycle increases if that > person holds a positive attitude towards bicycles *and* believes that > bicycling conditions are safe and cycling is a fast and efficient > transport-mode (not to mention a belief in the ability to ride a bicycle). > Once the intention to bicycle is sufficiently high, actual bicycling > behavior will result. The PhD by Steve Melia (found online) explains this > theory pretty well. > > Here are some conclusions I reached in my article, which was a literature > review of German- and Anglophone research on car-free households: > > - majority of people are car-free to save money. > - After becoming car-free, environmental awareness about negative > environmental affects can increase because they no longer have to fight the > cognitive dissonance caused by their car driving habits. They're free-er to > face it once their car is gone. > - To convince people to give up their car, better to focus on health and > economic benefits. Young environmentalists might be more attracted to the > bicycle because it offers flexibility, speed, and keeps them in shape. I > realized in Canada that teh cold makes this more difficult. > - New technologies (car sharing, smart phones) can make car-free living > more attractive and cool. > > Hope this helps! And good luck :) > > Gabrielle > > On Oct 12, 2012, at 3:41 PM, Robert Dierker wrote: > > Hello. > > I volunteer for several environmental groups in Vancouver Canada. One > thing they seem to have in common is a belief that the use of cars is a > necessary evil within their organizations. I can send many examples, if > requested, but I'm sure you've all seen it. > > Canada and the US are stuck in a well orchestrated car culture - no > doubt about it - and the natural resources of Canada are now hijacked by > foreign corporate giants. Their government lobby efforts and PR machines > are in full force here. > > My great concern, now, is that our new batch of young > environmentalists can't leave their cars behind. This is not > particularly new, but seems to be more pronounced than it used to be. > Our environmental movements can't move forward with this kind of base > line. > > I have no particular influence within Vancouver's environmental movement, > however I want to affect this one component of change: I want these > groups to weigh the value of each member's opinion and motivation with > respect to their personal activities with cars. > > Before I go I would like to remind any reader that Canada gets REALLY > cold. These groups have to define models that will work in an > individualistic, affluent society at -25c. > > How do I do this? Please help. > > Robert. > 604-440-0860 > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "World Carfree Network" group. > To post to this group, send email to carfree...-/[email protected]<javascript:> > Replies are sent to the author of the message. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > carfree_netwo...-/[email protected] <javascript:> > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/carfree_network?hl=en?hl=en > > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "World Carfree Network" group. To post to this group, send email to carfree_network-/[email protected] Replies are sent to the author of the message. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to carfree_network-unsubscribe-/[email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/carfree_network?hl=en?hl=en ------=_Part_1122_14689708.1350691122140 Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <font size=3D"4">Thanks for the response relative to psychology.<br><br>&nb= sp; I think there is a key in what you are perusing: There's a<font s= ize=3D"4">n emotional response to private cars that has to be addressed bef= ore the science can be seen.<br><br></font> I think the problem= isn't about what the local environmental "leaders" like David Suzuki et al= are trying to do here in Vancouver, but rather their refusal to put the me= ssage out that<font size=3D"4"> carism exists. There's this idea that= <font size=3D"4">we can all have a car and just use it when life gets toug= h. This is a<font size=3D"4">s un-sustainable as the structures that = support it.<br><br><font size=3D"4"> It doe<font size=3D"4">sn'= t seem possible to create a venue where these "leaders"</font></font> can a= bsorb the many facets of carism. I sometimes get a small window, get = a chance to relate one point - say <font size=3D"4">city land abuse - </fon= t>and then the discussion deteriorates like watching a bunch of children wh= o have just been told <font size=3D"4">why recess has been <font size=3D"4"= >canceled</font>.</font><br><br><font size=3D"4"> It's not abou= t logic. It's not about science. It's about generations of brai= nwashing. It really makes me ask myself why I'm not driving as well.<= br><br><font size=3D"4"> What do we do about th<font size=3D"4"= >is psychology? <font size=3D"4">This</font> is such an </font></font= >immediate need, yet the proponents of change, themselves, are blinded.<br>= <br><font size=3D"4">Bob.<br><font size=3D"4">604-440-0860</font><br></font= ></font><br><br></font></font></font></font><br>On Wednesday, October 17, 2= 012 8:00:02 AM UTC-7, Gabrielle Hermann wrote:<blockquote class=3D"gmail_qu= ote" style=3D"margin: 0;margin-left: 0.8ex;border-left: 1px #ccc solid;padd= ing-left: 1ex;"><div style=3D"word-wrap:break-word">Oh man, I feel for you!= I'm an American/German living in Germany for precisely that reason. I just= wrote a scientific article on car-free households (hopefully to be publish= ed early next year, if accepted). One of the great paradoxes is that being = an environmentalist is in some cases negatively associated with being car-f= ree. There are a bunch of psychologists in Germany trying to figure out thi= s irony. One of the theoretical constructs that has been used to explain th= is is called the Theory of Planned Behavior. <span style=3D"line-height:150%"><font face=3D"'Arial Narrow'">For instance= , the likelihood that an individual will develop an intention to travel by bicycl= e increases if that person holds a positive attitude towards bicycles <u>and<= /u> believes that bicycling conditions are safe and cycling is a fast and effic= ient transport-mode (not to mention a belief in the ability to ride a bicycle). = Once the intention to bicycle is sufficiently high, actual bicycling behavior wi= ll result.</font></span> The PhD by Steve Melia (found online) explains t= his theory pretty well. <div><br></div><div>Here are some conclusions = I reached in my article, which was a literature review of German- and Anglo= phone research on car-free households: <div><br></div><div>- majority = of people are car-free to save money. </div><div>- After becoming car-= free, environmental awareness about negative environmental affects can incr= ease because they no longer have to fight the cognitive dissonance caused b= y their car driving habits. They're free-er to face it once their car is go= ne. </div><div>- To convince people to give up their car, better to fo= cus on health and economic benefits. Young environmentalists might be more = attracted to the bicycle because it offers flexibility, speed, and keeps th= em in shape. I realized in Canada that teh cold makes this more difficult.&= nbsp;</div><div>- New technologies (car sharing, smart phones) can make car= -free living more attractive and cool. </div><div><br></div><div>Hope = this helps! And good luck :) </div><div><br></div><div>Gabrielle</div>= <div><div><br><div><div>On Oct 12, 2012, at 3:41 PM, Robert Dierker wrote:<= /div><br><blockquote type=3D"cite"><font size=3D"4">Hello.<br><br> &nb= sp; I volunteer for several environmental groups<font size=3D"4"> in Vancou= ver Canada. On<font size=3D"4">e thing they seem to have in common is= a belief that the use of cars is a necessary evil within their organizatio= ns.<font size=3D"4"> <font size=3D"4">I can send many examples, if re= quested, but I'm sure you've all seen it.</font></font> <br><br><font= size=3D"4"> </font>Canada and the US are stuck in a well <font= size=3D"4">orchestrated</font> car culture - no doubt about it<font size= =3D"4"> - and the natural resources of Canada <font size=3D"4">are</font> n= o<font size=3D"4">w hijacked by foreign corporate giants. The<font si= ze=3D"4">ir government lobby efforts and PR machines are in full force here= .<br><br></font> M</font>y great concern, now, is that <font si= ze=3D"4">our new batch of young environmentalists can't leave their car<fon= t size=3D"4">s behind. This is not particularly new, but <font size= =3D"4">seems to be</font> more pronounced<font size=3D"4"> than it used to = be.</font> Our <font size=3D"4">environmental</font> movements can't = move forward with this kind of base line.<br><br><font size=3D"4"> &nb= sp; I have no particular influence within Vancouver's environmental movemen= t<font size=3D"4">, however I want to <font size=3D"4">affect this one comp= onent of change: I want these groups to <font size=3D"4">weigh</font> the v= alue of <font size=3D"4">each</font> member's opinion </font></font></font>= and motivation with respect to their personal activities with cars.<br><br>= <font size=3D"4"> Before I go I would like to remind any reader= that Canada gets REALLY cold. These groups have to define models tha= t will work in an individualistic, affluent society at -25c.</font><br><br>= <font size=3D"4"> <font size=3D"4">How do I do this? Plea= se help.<br><br><font size=3D"4">Robert.<br><font size=3D"4">604-440-0860</= font><br></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font><di= v><br></div> -- <br> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google<br> Groups "World Carfree Network" group.<br> To post to this group, send email to <a href=3D"javascript:" target=3D"_bla= nk" gdf-obfuscated-mailto=3D"dKkdytMU7kAJ">carfree...@googlegroups.<wbr>com= </a><br> Replies are sent to the author of the message.<br> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to<br> <a href=3D"javascript:" target=3D"_blank" gdf-obfuscated-mailto=3D"dKkdytMU= 7kAJ">carfree_netwo...@<wbr>googlegroups.com</a><br> For more options, visit this group at<br> <a href=3D"http://groups.google.com/group/carfree_network?hl=3Den?hl=3Den" = target=3D"_blank">http://groups.google.com/<wbr>group/carfree_network?hl=3D= en?<wbr>hl=3Den</a></blockquote></div><br></div></div></div></div></blockqu= ote> <p></p> -- <br /> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google<br /> Groups "World Carfree Network" group.<br /> To post to this group, send email to carfree_network-/[email protected]<br /> Replies are sent to the author of the message.<br /> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to<br /> carfree_network-unsubscribe-/[email protected]<br /> For more options, visit this group at<br /> <a href=3D"http://groups.google.com/group/carfree_network?hl=3Den?hl=3Den">= http://groups.google.com/group/carfree_network?hl=3Den?hl=3Den</a> ------=_Part_1122_14689708.1350691122140--