By Rosemary Randall on September 8, 2009

Madeleine Bunting: It’s not easy

This blog was originally posted at Identity Campaigning.

Madeleine Bunting is spot on (My battle to cut carbon: a baffling, frustrating path to a more honest life) in yesterday’s Guardian. Making the large (and urgent) cuts in personal carbon isn’t easy. We wouldn’t be human if we weren’t beset with anxiety, sadness, anger and a thousand other difficult emotions as we struggle to change our lives. It’s tough making our behaviour line up with our intentions.

The key is finding support and dealing with our complex feelings. Our Carbon Conversations groups in Cambridge provide good, practical  information in a context where people can safely share their emotions and struggles as they set off on the journey Madeleine describes. Other charities and voluntary organisations across the country provide similar help. Join us.

Rosemary Randall

About Rosemary Randall

I am a psychoanalytically trained psychotherapist and have been involved in the environmental movement since my 20s when I was part of the editorial collective of ‘Undercurrents’ magazine. I am the founder and director of Cambridge Carbon Footprint, a Cambridge based charity that uses approaches drawn from psychotherapy, social marketing and community work to engage diverse audiences in work on climate change. I am the author of ‘A New Climate for Psychotherapy?’, an exploration of resistance to action on climate change and of ‘Carbon Conversations‘ CCF’s handbook for their short courses exploring how to halve your carbon footprint. I also facilitate workshops on climate change communication and community engagement and offer consultancy to business on employee engagement in carbon reduction. I was previously a lecturer with the Open University and an independent consultant for the development of distance learning materials.
  • Renee Lertzman

    I thought Bunting’s piece was refreshing in its candor and refusal to be cute. (Well OK, it had moments of cuteness but not too much.) I am getting the sense that people are starting to realise that in fact we need to start ‘telling it like it is’ – that is’ patronizing to assume people cannot handle the sticky, complicated truth about what it means to shift our lifestyles. In fact I suspect it is far more traumatic and potentially distressing than Bunting alludes to. But I think this is a good step in the right direction. I just wonder, are political leaders paying attention? People seem to be calling out for courage and strength in leadership on these issues.