Communications Theory and Tools

Carbon Detox

Read one of the UK's top selling books on climate change written by COIN's Founder, George Marshall.  Carbon Detox offers a provocative and entertaining approach to climate change. From the very first chapter, entitled ‘Oh no, not another bloody polar bear!,’ it challenges conventional thinking and offers fresh ways for ordinary ‘non-greenies’ to understand and respond to this global crisis. It explains such things as why the phrases "climate change" and "global warming" fail to convince us and why we don’t trust the messengers or the message.

George Marshall's blog

George Marshall is the Founder of COIN. His blog explores the topic of the psychology of climate change denial - with observations and anecdotes about our weird and disturbed response to the problem. It seeks to answer a question that has puzzled him for years: why, when the evidence is so strong, and so many agree that this is our greatest problem, are we doing so little about climate change?

 How to engage your community and communicate on climate change

COIN has produced a 'How to' guide for Energy Savings Trust's Green Communities, on how to communicate about climate change for community organisations.  See the EST's website or download the expanded version here.

Information and resources on the psychology of behaviour change

A Practitioner's Guide to the psychology of sustainable behaviour

COIN has published "A Practitioner's Guide to the Psychology of Sustainable Behaviour" by COIN's Associate, Dr Adam Corner.  The guide is designed for practitioners to get a sense of what psychological research can tell us about sustainable behaviour. It focuses on practical messages to enable people to communicate climate change and promote behaviour change.  Access the guide... 

 Effective approaches to non-environmental behavour changes

What can campaigns aimed at pro-environmental behaviour change learn from campaigns that have been designed for other forms of behaviour change?  This paper looks at what can be learned from public health campaigns.

Group-based models of pro-environmental behaviour change

This paper is a short summary of some of the more successful approaches to group-based pro-environmental behaviour change in the UK, based on evaluations of Ecoteams, COIN action groups, CRAGS and WI/WRAP.

Implementation intentions and how to use them

How do we get from intending to act, to effectively attaining goals or desired outcomes?  Implementation intentions help enhance the translation of goal intentions into actions.

Using social networks to spread pro-environmental behaviour

Social networks are everywhere, and have a powerful effect on our behaviour.  They have long been recognised as useful to spread information and innovation, but can social networks be used to spread pro-environmental behaviour?

Articles by George Marshall,  COIN Founder  

Why we find it so hard to act against climate change

There’s more to it than clean energy or new technology. This article argues that tTo get to a climate-friendly world, we have to overcome our own denial, press for government action, and make the changes now, wherever we live and work. The good news is that joining together to build real happiness promises us all a better life, while also saving the planet. No small thing. 

The psychology of climate denial

Article arguing that denial strategies are the biggest barrier to action on climate change.

Don't save the planet

Looks at the language used to promote behaviour change and advocates for chucking out the tierd old language of "saving" in favour of embracing a lighter approach that starts from first principles.

Death of a thousand tips

The average Brit consumes 134 plastic bags a year, resulting in just two kilos of the typical 11 tonnes of carbon dioxide he or she will emit in a year. That is one five thousandth of their overall climate impact.  In this article published in 2007, George Marshall asks why we're so keen to believe that tiny actions will prevent climate change. 

Why rock won't save the planet

Article published in the Guardian, arguing that if we are serious about climate change, then telling concert-goers to take the bus once a week is not enough.

Denial and the psychology of climate apathy

Article published in the Ecologist, which looks at why despite the evidence, society remains apathetic in taking action on climate change.