Mindful Climate Action: Health and Environmental Co-Benefits from Mindfulness-Based Behavioral Training.
Bruce P. Barrett, Maggie L Grabow, Cathy Middlecamp, Margaret Mooney, Mary M. Checovich, Alexander K Converse, Bob Gillespie, Julia Yates
Sustainability October 17, 2016 DOI: 10.3390/su8101040 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Mindful Climate Action (MCA) curriculum |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Climate change Sustainability Active transport Environmental impact Mental health Carbon footprint Co-benefits |
| Key points | Proposes that a mindfulness-based curriculum, Mindful Climate Action, can simultaneously improve personal health and reduce carbon footprints by targeting transportation, diet, energy use, and purchasing behaviors. The authors plan to test the program in a randomized controlled trial. |
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.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- The Way Forward in Mindfulness and Sustainability: a Critical Review and Research Agenda Journal of Cognitive Enhancement July 2, 2020
- Developments in Qualitative Mindfulness Practice Research: a Pilot Scoping Review Mindfulness September 29, 2021
- How does meditation relate to quality of life, positive lifestyle habits and carbon footprint? Heliyon January 15, 2025
- Bearing Witness to the Anthropocene: A Contemplative Interbeing Framework for Planetary Health and Nursing Ethics Challenges June 25, 2026
- Mindful Eco-Wellness: Steps Toward Personal and Planetary Health. Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health 2024
and 2 more in the library
Cites 10
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Stress Reduction through Mindfulness Meditation Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics February 18, 2010
- MINDFULNESS—SPECIFIC OR GENERIC MECHANISMS OF ACTION Addiction September 15, 2010
- Staying well during pregnancy and the postpartum: A pilot randomized trial of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for the prevention of depressive relapse/recurrence. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology February 2016
- Mindfulness meditation and the immune system: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences January 21, 2016
and 5 more in the library