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3rd October 2007

Psychologist Warns Cameron of Green-Washing Politics

People are tired of politicians using green issues as a battle ground to win votes, according to a leading psychologist.

Dr Donna Dawson explained the dangers of ‘green-washing’ after David Cameron outlined the quality of life review to the British public during his keynote closing speech at the Tory conference in Blackpool.

David Cameron has been advised to scrap a ‘green air miles plan’ which would limit people to one flight a year and high taxes on additional plans.
The Lib Dems want all cars to be carbon-free by 2040 and to raise Vehicle Exercise Duty to £2,000 for gas-guzzlers.

And Labour has also spoken of plans to ration energy consumption through individual carbon allowances to control how much people fly, drive and use energy.

However, Dawson says preachy green politics can in fact have an adverse effect on positive change.

She said: “We constantly being bombarded with advice and warnings about becoming ‘greener’ consumers.

“The cumulative effect of this daily green-washing by politicians is to make us feel besieged and confused: the idea of making sweeping green changes to our lifestyle is off-putting because of the perceived expense and hassle, while at the same time we don’t know what small changes would be both simple and effective.”

“Consequently, the green bombardment can make us feel either apathetic or rebellious, and cause us to back away from making any ‘green’ changes.
“The way forward is to help people make small and manageable changes that don’t seam threatening, one step at a time: things that can be easily incorporated into their lives as a series of achievable targets and reachable goals.

“This diffuses the fear and rebellion and cut across the apathy by giving people both a plan of action and a sense of control of their green future.”
A recent poll commissioned by The Green Insurance Company, which offsets 100 per cent of customers’ car emissions, found that although more than 60 per cent of the UK were concerned for their environmental legacy, more than half those questioned felt the green lobby was too preachy.