Climate, Mind and Behavior Initiative

The Garrison Institute’s Climate, Mind and Behavior (CMB) initiative examines how mental models and patterns of thought affect our environmental behavior and how, by examining and shifting them, we might reduce our ecological impacts. CMB's integrative approach combines new insights from current scientific research in many disciplines to develop practical solutions to the world's pressing environmental issues. CMB brings together advocates, scientists, thought-, movement- and business leaders, policy and communications experts to create new learning networks, nurture innovative thinking, and find scalable ways to shift mindsets, alter behavior, achieve systems-level change to reduce  human-caused ecological problems, including climate change. CMB symposiums bring together stimulating mixes of key leaders, and uses reflective and contemplative practices to generate fresh and innovative thinking.

Climate Change Leadership Program

The Garrison Institute’s Climate Leadership Program is designed to help non-profit, grassroots, governmental, real estate, academic and scientific leaders be more effective in the fight against climate change. We identify emerging areas of thought which are relevant to the climate movement, form leadership councils to guide their exploration, and hold a by-invitation symposium on the subject, recruiting participation of key thought and movement leaders. Afterwards, we support their ongoing networking and collaboration to implement these ideas on a broader scale.

Past leadership retreats and programs include the Satyagraha Project, exploring how the lineage of Gandhi, King and nonviolent thought applies to the climate movement; the early formative meetings of Green for All, a national organization dedicated to building an inclusive green economy; and the founding retreats of the national 1sky network of organizations working together for a society-wide mobilization for bold action on climate change.

Current climate change leadership activities include Climate, Mind and Behavior, which hosts the Climate, Cities and Behavior and and Climate, Buildings and Behavior projects.

Climate, Mind and Behavior

The Climate, Mind and Behavior (CMB) Program integrates emerging research findings about what drives human behavior into new thinking on climate solutions. CMB convenes leading thinkers and practitioners in the fields of climate change and environmental advocacy, neuro-, behavioral and evolutionary economics, psychology, policy-making, social networking, investing and social media, working together on ways to shift behavior on a large enough scale to realize substantial emissions reductions. The fourth annual CMB symposium will be held at the Institute in June 2013.

Climate, Buildings and Behavior

Buildings are responsible for 42% of US greenhouse gas emissions. In 2009, the Garrison Institute held its first gathering of real estate leaders from large and small non-profit and for-profit companies. The goal of the event was to help participants transform how their organizations function, moving away from business as usual and towards a green paradigm. Currently, the Climate, Buildings and Behavior network is actively working on pilot projects and will reconvene for a fourth gathering at the Institute in September 2013.

Climate, Cities and Behavior

Cities are increasingly on the front lines in the fight against climate change. Starting in 2007, for the first time in history, more people now live in urban than rural areas. Their number is expected to rise to 5 billion by 2030. Increasing attention is focusing on cities as centers of innovation, motivation, aggregation and leadership in reducing GHG emissions. While global treaties and federal legislation on greenhouse gases have been met with resistance, urban leaders have often succeeded in reducing greenhouse gas emissions using innovative policy, regulatory and urban planning strategies. The newest project of CMB, Climate, Cities and Behavior (CCB) takes what the neuro-, behavioral and social sciences are learning about human behavior and applies it to urban planning, policy, codes and other regulations in order to shift urban resident and employee behavior and facilitate larger pro-climate impacts.