Eco-Types: Five Ways of Caring about the Environment

Why acknowledging diverse eco-social relationships can help us overcome the political polarization that undermines our ability to protect the environment

When we picture the ideal environmentalist, we likely have in mind someone who dedicates herself to reducing her own environmental footprint through individual choices about consumption—driving a fuel-efficient car, for example, or eating less meat, or refusing plastic straws. This is a benchmark that many aspire to—and many others reject. ...