Course:EOSC 311: Something to Lose: the Psychology of BC's Environmental Activism

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Bringing EOSC and Psychology together

Contemporary psychology teaches that everything is connected, nothing that we experience in the mind or body has a clear cause or effect. This is called the biopsychosocial framework which states that every expression of humanity from personality to psychosis to disease has a complex set of causes. The biological expressions of our genes occur under certain circumstances, simply having the gene is not enough. The development of our traits happens via an intricate combination of both internal and external factors.

From what we have been learning in EOSC 311 it seems that the earth is the same way. For example, graphite and diamond are the same chemically (biological), only through the differences in their environment (social) do they become vastly different goods with entirely different use and value (psychological). Using this framework this article will discuss the concept of connection to nature from a biopsychosocial perspective using the example of Southern British Columbia as a natural environment that promotes environmentalism. We will look at Coastal BC as a place of ongoing environmental activism and argue that the culture of political environmentalism demonstrates a salient identification with the natural world. Accessing nature and developing a sense of identity around that connection, promotes such activism since the protection of the earth is also a protection of the self.

Vancouver's Deep Green Politics

Vancouver and the Coast Mountain Range

One of the defining features of British Columbia is the history of environmental politics[1]. Vancouver is frequently ranked amongst the top 10 most livable cities, and holds international status as a "Green City"[1]. Vancouver has a long history of 'deep-green' politics from the founding of Greenpeace in 1971, the David Suzuki Foundation, and the development of the Clouds of Change Report in the early '90s [1]. The Clouds of Change Report was prepared by the City of Vancouver Task Force on Atmospheric Change and laid out a set of action steps at the municipal and provincial levels to begin reducing carbon emissions by 20% of 1990 levels by 2005 [2]. However, according to a Sierra Club BC press release in 2018, the provinces CO2 emissions had risen by 10% of 1990 levels; logging activities and oil and gas are two of the biggest drivers of provincial greenhouse gas emissions [3].

The opposition of logging activities in BC's old-growth forests is another long-standing political issue. In 1993 after nearly a decade of opposition against logging activities in the Clayoquot Sound a group of 11,000 activists and members of First Nations communities spent three months blockading access to logging roads to protest the logging of the ancient Clayoquot forest, the largest area of old-growth temperate rainforest on Vancouver Island[4]. Climate activists and Indigenous Land Defenders have also been some of the loudest voices against pipeline expansion which often endangers remote First Nations communities and their traditional lands. In February 2020 a series of blockades were erected in Vancouver and throughout Canada in solidarity with Wet'suwet'en First Nations peoples who were opposing pipeline expansions through their traditional lands.

Since 2011 Vancouver has been working towards a new goal of becoming the Greenest City by 2020 enacting policies aimed at reducing the City's CO2 emissions by 33% from 2007 levels and making the City's energy supplies 100% renewable by 2050[1]. Many of these goals carry over from the ones first proposed by the Clouds of Change Task Force in the 1990's[2].

British Columbia's green politics and history of environmental activism are evidence of an understanding of the value of the natural environment and its resources. Scholars have argued that the natural setting beauty of Vancouver nestled between the Coast Mountains and the Georgia Straight invokes this environmental consciousness and perceived obligation to protect the natural world [1]. The mountains, coast and forests found in BC are vast and powerful it's not hard to understand how living in British Columbia would foster a strong connection to the land. That connection can be painful in a world facing climate change, deforestation, soil erosion and many more environmental issues.

BC's Precious Resources

Salmon Spawn

BC's glaciers and temperate rainforest are two main features that make the southern coast so magnificent. People come from around the world to ski on the glaciers of Whistler and Blackcomb Mountain. BC's glaciers supply a significant amount of water for the province's hydroelectric power[5]. Glaciers are a key source of freshwater in Western Canada, and are extremely sensitive to climate change[5] Coastal rainforests are important habitats for fish who spawn in freshwater rivers, birds, bears, amphibians, and several species of fungi and vegetation [6].

BC's Glaciers

Salmon Glacier, BC

The Lower Mainland and its surrounding beaches and inlets were shaped by processes of glaciation, specifically the formation and retreat of the Cordilleran ice sheet[3]. The Cordilleran ice sheet formed over British Columbia during the Quarternary ice age between 115,000-11,700 years ago[4]. ].The most recent period of glacial advance was called the Fraser Glaciation which began 25,000 years ago and lasted until around 11,700 years ago[2]. During its peak, what is now the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley were covered in an ice sheet 1,800 m thick extending into the Straight of Georgia and Puget Sound [2]. Once the Cordilleran ice sheet began its final process of deglaciation the ice sheets retreated leaving behind large deposits of glacial till[2] . Large rivers formed from meltwater, further transforming the landscape and causing significant sealevel rise, turning valleys into fjords like Howe Sound and Indian Arm[3][2]. The pacific coastline today contains numerous fjords formed by this glaciation.

Today BC's glaciers are retreating due to climate change. Between 1985 and 2005 provincial ice coverage decreased by 2525 km2 [7]. The Coast and Mountains ecoprovince had the greatest ice coverage loss of 1197 km2, and glaciers in the Georgia Depression ecoprovince had the greatest proportional area loss of 34% [7]. An ecoprovince is a region within the province that is classified by its climatic and ecological features [8].

Coastal Rainforest

Old-growth Red Cedar stump, Port Renfrew, BC.

Today the Coast Mountain range is covered in dense coniferous forests, part of the system of temperate rainforests in British Columbia[6]. Temperate rainforest make up just 5% of the world's total rainforests, and 1.8% of Canadas' total forest area[6]. While that may seem small, BC's temperate rainforests comprise almost 25% of the world's temperate rainforests[6]. BC's coastal rainforests are full of biodiversity and store massive amounts of carbon making them very important in preventing climate change [9]. These forests are habitats for fish and wildlife and plants. Many species found in Coastal Rainforests are endemic, meaning they cannot be found anywhere else in the world [9]. In order to provide habitat and prevent species extinction, Coastal forests need a minimum of 30% old growth coverage. More than two million hectares of rainforest ecosystems on BC's coast are below this critical level [9]. Not only does logging affect carbon storage, but BC's logging industry is also a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Logging on Vancouver Island alone as expelled over 370 million tonnes of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere[9]. That logging represents the loss of hundreds of millions of tonnes of carbon storage from old-growth stands[9]. Reducing climate change in BC cannot happen without significant reductions from the logging industry, this is challenging because the logging industry employs over 50,000 people annually and brings in over 14 billion dollars in revenue.

Hydraulic Fracturing in BC

Hydraulic Fracturing or "fracking" is a process for extracting natural gas from shale rock deposits using water [10]. 90% of BC's oil and gas reserves require fracking the full implications of these activities are not well known [11]. However, there are many concerns of the long term effects of fracking on the environment, including increased seismic activity[11]. The activities of fracking produce radioactive waste materials, methane, and contaminated waste waters[11], long term storage of these byproducts is a concern, particularly for communities who's health may be jeopardized by chemical spills or leaks.

Coastal Rainforest (4780702959)

Connecting to our Landscape

Humans have spent almost all of our evolutionary history in natural environments, not cities [12]. Evolutionary psychologists have argued that connection with nature was required for survival and those with a deeper connection to the natural world would have had an advantage[12]. The biophilia hypothesis posits that due to the fact that humans have spent the majority of history living among nature and began living in cities relatively late in their evolution, the trait of valuing nature is still embedded in our biology [13]. The popularity of wilderness activities, gardening and spending time around natural splendour is seen as evidence for this hypothesis[13]

Nature relatedness is an approach that measures subjective feelings of connection to the natural world[12]. This concept is closely related to ecological identity which refers to "the self, the human non-human community, and the planet's ecosystems"[13]. These concepts come from a line of ecopsycholgical research which suggests that connection with nature promotes both human and environmental health[13]. Natural settings are restorative for the human psyche, can reduce anxiety, and aid recovery from illness [13]. Disconnection from nature then leads to an unhealthy environment and people. The loss of bio-diversity, limited access to nature, or low levels of nature relatedness predict low levels of well-being [13]. Subjective connection to nature does not imply positive affect or happiness per se since high levels of connection to nature may increase anxiety and concern over the impacts of climate change, causing depression [12]. Nature relatedness is the inclusion of the self in nature[12]. The sense that we are well when the earth is well and harm to the earth is harm done to us. From this lens environmentalism is a cultural attitude that encompasses self-concept, therefore, protection of nature is a form of self-protection expressed through politics.

Young activist demands "save our future"

As climate change has become an important global political issue, research has looked at what traits define pro-environmental behaviours[14]. One widely supported psychological theory for explaining how behavioural intentions are formed is called the Theory of Planned Behaviour(TPB) which posits that the strongest indicators for how people behave are their intentions[14]. Environmental psychologists have since demonstrated the utility of the TBP in predicting people's environmental intentions and behaviours [14]. As research on this topic has expanded so has the finding that self-identity is an important contributing factor when predicting behaviour[14].

The role of identity in predicting "green behaviours" is crucial. Mancha and Yoder (2015) found that having high levels of both independent and interdependent self-concept has an impact on environmental behaviour[14]. Interdependent self-concept is defined as including others in one's sense of self, valuing social connectedness and the opinions of others[14] Independent self-concept is defined as valuing internal attributes and willingness to align oneself to other's preferences when it is validating of self-perception[14]. Our perception of 'self' exists within a cultural context, and researchers have argued that public concern for environmentalism is an expression of both cultural attitudes and self-perception [14].

What drives people to want to protect the diverse and delicate ecosystems of our planet? Are we born with the innate desire to protect our environment or is it something we learn? These are important questions in today's world where deforestation, deglaciation, rising carbon emissions and warming seas are harsh realities of global citizenship.

Discussion

What does it mean to protect the environment? We tend to protect things that we value, things that we love, things that provide for us. One clear conflict of environmental protection and combating climate change in British Columbia is the fact that forestry and oil and gas are both large employers contributing billions to the economy. The richness of BC's forests, mineral deposits, and waterways attract those who wish to profit off the vast resources, and those who wish to defend and protect them. This conflict is not new, it has been going on for decades. In the 1990's the City of Vancouver was ahead of its time in terms of attitudes on climate action. The Clouds of Change Report was the first of its kind from the municipal level [15]. Unfortunately, thirty years later, very few of the goals have been met and the urgency to address climate change is increasing. If it wasn't for the unique setting of Vancouver with its panoramic views of the Coast Mountains and ocean would it have the same history of environmentalism? If we think of environmentalism as a trait belonging to people who feel a distinct connection to nature and their natural surroundings, perhaps not. There is something tangible about the experience of living in Southern BC and feeling in nature even when in the most urban centre of the province. British Columbians tend to identify with the beauty of their surroundings and spend time in them frequently. The province has a 20 billion dollar outdoor tourism industry of which British Columbians themselves make up nearly half of the annual visits [16]. Identifying with nature is part of the experience of living in British Columbia.

Leeds 20 September 2019 climate strike dont frack with nature.jpg

Spending time in nature has been shown to promote well being and perceived connection to the natural world. This connection involves a feeling that one is not separate from nature but, in fact, part of it. The perception that we are not separate from nature is uncomfortable in a world where natural environments are unstable and undervalued. Subconsciously we may understand that when we fight for the environment we are protecting our own habitat too. What our environment means to us defines how we interact with it and how we believe it should be treated. Environmentalism and natural resource extraction are two sides of the same coin. When natural resources provide jobs and wealth to a population, protecting these resources is an act of self-protection. From this perspective trees and glaciers are not the only living things being threatened by climate change and deforestation, humans are too.

Psychology is the science of human behaviour and cognition, psychologists seek to understand why humans behave in certain ways and what the effects of perception, motivation, value, and beliefs have on the individual and society. Ultimately humans are not separate from the forces that created the earth we inhabit because these same forces shape our lives and societies. Humans have built economies that depend on the extraction of natural resources but the long term effects on the climate will have to be faced. Understanding what motivates people to protect their environments is key when it comes to creating lasting change for future generations. If experiencing natural splendour fosters a sense of responsibility to protect the environment than this suggests that the more separate humans become from nature the harder it will be to inspire environmental actions. As society becomes more urbanized this may cause further disconnection from the environment and therefore less motivation to protect it.

Conclusion

In EOSC 311 we have been discussing the earth, learning about the cycles that have created the continents, mountains; the fuel in our cars and the batteries in our phones. One big take away is that everything is more complicated than it appears and every aspect of our lives are shaped by immensely slow geological processes and ancient events. One of the challenges of combating climate change is getting people to understand the gravity of our actions as a global community. Actions like pumping billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere that have been stored deep in the earth's mantle for millions of years. Due to the nature of human evolution, generations simultaneously start fresh and build on the legacies of every generation that came before them. We don't remember the time before we were alive, but we are shaped by it.

In this article, we have discussed the idea that a subjective connection to the natural world is a humanistic trait. This connection has its roots in our biological evolution and ultimately demonstrates that we are healthiest when in connection with a thriving natural world. This perspective helps explain why the issue of climate change is such a salient one, the fight to protect our planet is much more urgent when we understand that "our planet" includes us.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Affolderbach, Julia; Schulz, Christian (2017). "Positioning Vancouver Through Urban Sustainability Strategies? The Greenest City 2020 Action Plan". Journal of Cleaner Production. 164: 676–685. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.06.234 Check |doi= value (help).
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Clouds of Change" (PDF). Final Report of the City of Vancouver Task Force on Atmospheric Change. City of Vancouver Planning Department. 1: 1–172. 1990.
  3. Weiting, Jens (January 11, 2018). "B.C.'s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Have Risen in Four of the Past Five Years". The Sierra Club BC. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  4. "About the Campaign". https//:www.wildernesscommitee.org. n.d. Retrieved June 15, 2020. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. 5.0 5.1 UNBC (n.d.). "Climate Change and BC's Glaciers". www.unbc.ca.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Langois, Annie (2003). "Canada's Coastal Rainforest" (PDF). Hinterland Who's Who. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Environment Canada (December 2015). "Change in Size of B.C. Glaciers". www.env.gov.bc.ca. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  8. "Ecoprovinces- Ecoregion Ecosystem Classification of British Columbia". www.gov.bc.ca. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 "Coast Forest Report 2009" (PDF). Sierra Club, BC. The Sierra Club. December 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  10. "FACTSHEET: Hydraulic Fracturing in BC". www.gov.bc.ca. Ministry of Natural Gas Development. April, 2016. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 Nikiforuk, Andrew (April 1, 2019). "8 Major Gaps in BC's Knowledge About Fracking". The Narwhal. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 Capaldi, C. A.; Dopko, R.L.; Zelenski, J.M. (2014). "The Relationship Between Nature Connectedness and Happiness: a Meta-analysis". Frontiers in Psychology. 5(976): 1–15. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00976 Check |doi= value (help).
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 Nisbet,, E.K; Zelenski, J.M.; Murphy, S.A. (2011). "Happiness in our Nature: Exploring Nature Relatedness as a Contributor to Subjective Well-Being". Journal of Happiness Studies. 12(2): 303–322. doi:DOI:10.1007/s10902-010-9197-7 Check |doi= value (help).CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 14.7 Mancha, Ruben M.; Yoder, Carol Y. (2015). "Cultural Antecedents of Green Behavioural Intent: An Environmental Theory of Planned Behaviour". Journal of Environmental Psychology. 43: 145–154. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2015.06.005 Check |doi= value (help).
  15. Price, Gordon (January 25, 2013). "Clouds of Change Report Online- With Thoughts from a Venture Capitalist". www.pricetags.ca. Retrieved June 17,2020. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  16. "Regional Tourism Profile- Vancouver Coast and Montains" (PDF). www.destinationBC.ca. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
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