Leave the Lights On

Psychologist Elizabeth Dunn and climate behaviour scientist Jiaying Zhao argue that the climate actions that work best can also make people happier. Most climate advice demands self-denial, they note, yet joy is a strategy in its own right, because people are more likely to keep up, and pass on, changes they enjoy. Their suggestions cover everyday choices about food, travel, housing and shopping, with substitutions such as chicken instead of beef or a carry-on instead of a checked bag, which cut emissions with less personal friction. They also urge normalizing climate talk with friends and family to shift social norms, and treating emissions like a household budget, all to nudge society toward a mass-action tipping point without burnout.

Adam Grant put it on The 12 New Books to Enliven Spring and Summer for its enjoyable ways of protecting the environment and fighting climate change.