title: Mindful Climate Action: Health and Environmental Co-Benefits from Mindfulness-Based Behavioral Training.
abstract: Greenhouse gases from human activities are causing climate change, creating risks for people around the globe. Behaviors involving transportation, diet, energy use, and purchasing drive greenhouse gas emissions, but are also related to health and well-being, providing opportunity for co-benefits. Replacing shorter automobile trips with walking or cycling, or eating plants rather than animals, for example, may increase personal health, while also reducing environmental impact. Mindfulness-based practices have been shown to enhance a variety of health outcomes, but have not been adapted towards environmental purposes. We designed the Mindful Climate Action (MCA) curriculum to help people improve their health while simultaneously lowering their carbon footprints. Combining mindfulness-based practices with the Stages of Change theory, the MCA program aims to: (1) improve personal health and well-being; (2) decrease energy use; (3) reduce automobile use; (4) increase active transport; (5) shift diet towards plant-based foods; and (6) reduce unnecessary purchasing. Mindfulness practices will foster attentional awareness, openness, and response flexibility, supporting positive behavior change. We plan to test MCA in a randomized controlled trial, with rigorous assessment of targeted outcomes. Our long-term goal is to refine and adapt the MCA program to a variety of audiences, in order to enhance public health and environmental sustainability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715, USA.
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715, USA; Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
authors.forename: Maggie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grabow
authors.affiliation: Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, US.
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Middlecamp
authors.affiliation: Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies, Space Science and Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mooney
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715, USA.
authors.forename: Mary M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Checovich
authors.affiliation: Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Converse
authors.affiliation: UW Health Mindfulness Program, Integrative Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53711, USA.
authors.forename: Bob
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gillespie
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715, USA.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yates
keywords: active transport; carbon footprint; climate change; co-benefits; environmental impact; health; meditation; mental health; mindfulness; sustainability