Environment Movement Should Change Their Message, Says Author Chris Turner
by Iris Coates, UK 
on 10.28.07
This article in the Star reports how author Chris Turner believes that most of the environment movement has been spreading the wrong message – that of doom and gloom of climate change – and feels it is time for us to shift from despair to dreams…
For his latest book, The Geography of Hope: A Tour of the World We Need, Chris Turner spent a year touring the world looking for solutions to the planet’s environmental crisis.
From the article: "I started off feeling the need to be hopeful,’ the Calgary author admits. But, `I feel the depth of my hope deepening ..... I’m finding my expectations exceeded regularly."
His new book describes many examples of things being done right, ranging from bio-solar homes in Thailand to a house in New Mexico which is made of recycled beer cans, wine bottles, tires and other materials, self-sufficient in electricity, heat, water, waste treatment and food production.
Turner argues it's time to stop blaring dire warnings about the perils of climate change and, instead, start enthusiastically proclaiming solutions. He feels that current environmental movements are not communicating their message very well and as a result end up not inspiring people to change and doom-mongering rather than focus on solutions.
We need to dream rather than despair, he says. In his opinion the focus should be on the many benefits of a low-carbon, energy-efficient world. We need, "to imagine something greater... To bring a fundamentally changed world into the realm of the possible. To create hope."
Do you agree with Turner? Find out how you can get hold of a copy of his book here
From ::The Star
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He is right but also dead wrong.
People have presented solutions but papers do not print them on the front page and do not develop a story enough for folks to make informed decisions.
then there is the need to get two people or more to say yes this is a possible solution. try getting two people to agree on what to have for lunch. pretty much impossible. Then try to get governments to fund the work.
you will see all the problems with it then you will know why we are doomed until we do these things.
Reinvent our way of living.
reduce, recycle, reuse.
become more self-sustainable.
be more innovated and think earth first.
Make green choices.
Make sustainable business choices.
it is a whole new way of thinking so few will do.
D~W
I think this is a good idea. While all the reporting on all the environmental problems is necessary and important, I find all the "doom and gloom" stories don't actually inspire me to do anything. Sure, they make me more aware of the problem; which is important of course, but what directly changes in my behaviour as a result of hearing it? Probably very little. I have found that what actually motivates me to make changes are positive examples of what we can do.
Sometimes the doom and gloom stuff is too overwhelming and makes you want to give up. Whereas the smaller steps often proposed by positive example actually get people to make changes. As an example, I heard about David Suzuki's Nature Challenge and actually did it. It was a great starting point, and has led me to be even more environmentally responsible.
I dont' think this advice is JUST for teh environmentalists. I think American culture has been dragged down by negativism in general, and it has positioned us as fear & consumer driven people.
To break the fear and consumer driven lifestyle we need to develop a process driven lifestyle and focus on the good ideas, and not bad things that are going on, and the negative potential for our future.
It is way more empowering to learn about what people are doing, and what you can do than it is to be beaten over the head with what might happen, and people who say well things are never going to change.
Also it is a lot easier to get people to start to listen and join in if you are doing something positive.
I think overall treehugger does a good job of educating, and maintaining a somewhat positive message.
People who say things are never going to change