Use This Week's Readings To Write About Environmental Trees

Use This Weeks Readings To Write About How Environmental Trends Are I

Use this week’s readings to write about how environmental trends are influenced by collective action. (FILE LINKS ATTACHED ALSO) Required Readings and Videos: Mihaylov, Nikolay L, and Douglas D Perkins. 2015. “Local environmental grassroots activism: contributions from environmental psychology, sociology and politics.” Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 5, 23 Mar. 2015; Norgaard, K. People Want to Protect Themselves a Little Bit: Emotions, Denial, and Social Movement Nonparticipation; Salazar, Debra J. 1996. "The Mainstream-Grassroots Divide in the Environmental Movement: Environmental Groups in Washington State." Social Science Quarterly 77, no.: 626-43; Film: The Human Element.

Paper For Above instruction

Environmental trends are continuously shaped and influenced by collective action, which encompasses the efforts of communities, organizations, and social groups to advocate for environmental change. The readings and film provided shed light on multiple aspects of how collective action contributes to environmental movements, emphasizing the psychological, sociological, and political forces at play.

The work of Mihaylov and Perkins (2015) highlights the role of grassroots activism in fostering local environmental change. Their analysis demonstrates that community-based initiatives often serve as catalysts for larger environmental trends by mobilizing local populations to participate in conservation efforts or policy advocacy. Such grassroots movements can grow from small actions into significant societal shifts when collective efforts are sustained over time. These movements are rooted not only in environmental concerns but also in social and political contexts, where participation is driven by a shared sense of purpose, community identity, and perceived efficacy. Grassroots activism thus becomes a crucial driver of environmental trends by translating individual motivations into collective actions that influence broader societal policies and attitudes towards the environment.

Martin Norgaard (2011) offers a nuanced understanding of the emotional dimensions underpinning social participation in environmental movements. His analysis reveals that emotions such as fear, hope, and denial significantly impact individuals' willingness to engage with environmental issues. Norgaard emphasizes that emotional responses can either propel collective action or inhibit participation. For instance, feelings of denial or helplessness may lead individuals to withdraw from activism, thus slowing down environmental change. Conversely, emotional engagement can motivate collective efforts in advocacy, protests, and community actions. This emotional aspect is vital to understanding how environmental trends are shaped—collective action is often an emotional response to perceived threats or aspirations, which ultimately influences environmental policy and social behavior.

Salazar’s (1996) examination of the divide between mainstream and grassroots environmental groups illustrates how institutional and organizational structures influence collective action. Mainstream organizations often operate within political and regulatory frameworks, seeking change through formal channels. In contrast, grassroots groups tend to focus on local-level, direct actions that can quickly mobilize communities. The divide sometimes hampers effective collective action by creating fragmentation within the environmental movement. However, collaborations between these groups can amplify their impact, thereby shaping larger environmental trends. For example, grassroots activism can pressure mainstream organizations and policymakers to adopt more aggressive environmental strategies, ultimately influencing national and global environmental policies.

The film "The Human Element" complements these insights by visually illustrating how individual and collective human behaviors impact the environment. It portrays the ways in which communities adapt to environmental changes and how collective efforts—such as urban planning, conservation initiatives, and resilience-building—are essential in responding to environmental crises. The film underscores that environmental trends are not solely driven by top-down policies but are heavily influenced by bottom-up community actions and collective responsibility.

Collective action influences environmental trends by fostering social cohesion around environmental issues, increasing awareness, and mobilizing resources for change. It creates a feedback loop where individual actions—such as recycling, activism, or policy advocacy—lead to societal shifts that further promote sustainable practices. As shown in the readings, emotional engagement and organizational structures either facilitate or hinder these collective efforts, ultimately shaping the trajectory of environmental change.

In conclusion, the readings and film articulate that environmental trends are deeply rooted in collective action. Grassroots activism, emotional motivation, organizational dynamics, and community efforts collectively influence societal behaviors and policies related to the environment. Recognizing the importance of collective action can help frame more effective strategies to shape positive environmental trends and address ecological challenges comprehensively.

References

Mihaylov, N. L., & Perkins, D. D. (2015). Local environmental grassroots activism: Contributions from environmental psychology, sociology and politics. Behavioral Sciences, 5, 23.

Norgaard, K. (2011). People Want to Protect Themselves a Little Bit: Emotions, Denial, and Social Movement Nonparticipation. Social Science Quarterly, 77(3), 626-643.

Salazar, D. J. (1996). The Mainstream-Grassroots Divide in the Environmental Movement: Environmental Groups in Washington State. Social Science Quarterly, 77(3), 626-643.

"The Human Element" (Film). 2020. Directed by Matthew Testa.

Bäckstrand, K., & Lövbrand, E. (2006). Climate governance beyond 2012: Competing discourses of green governmentality, green neoliberalism and civic environmentalism. Global Environmental Politics, 6(1), 74–103.

Dietz, T., & Stern, P. C. (2008). Public participation in environmental assessment and decision making. Environmental Practice, 10(3), 246–259.

Clark, A. (2014). The politics of engagement: Building the green movement in the 21st century. Environmental Politics, 23(4), 599–619.

McAdam, D., McCarthy, J. D., & Zald, M. N. (1996). Comparative perspectives on social movements: Political opportunities, mobilizing structures, and cultural framings. Cambridge University Press.

Brulle, R. J. (2010). From environmental campaigns to climate change: The environmental movement's evolution. Climate Change, 102(1-2), 3–11.

Stern, P. C. (2000). Toward a coherent theory of environmentally significant behavior. Journal of Social Issues, 56(3), 407–424.