Motivating Collective Action: Converting to Sustainable Energy Sources in a German Community

Abstract

The use of nonrenewable energy sources (oil, gas, coal) in industrial countries is not sustainable because these resources will soon be depleted and, more importantly, burning these resources changes the earth's atmosphere and climate. Therefore, sustainable alternatives are urgently needed In addition to wind, water, and solar energy, biomass is an excellent energy source, especially in rural areas. Although the technical solutions for converting biomass into heat and electricity are available, this energy source is still not widely used in industrial countries. The social sciences, and especially psychology, can play an important role by demonstrating that corresponding changes may be initiated by people themselves, and that these changes may be accompanied by positive psychological outcomes. This chapter describes a research project, sponsored by the German Ministry for Agriculture, which aims to change the energy source of an entire German village to biomass. Psychologically relevant literature is reviewed and the specific expectations for changes in psychological variables (control beliefS, environmental attitudes, well-being) are reported Fossil fuels have been the main energy sources in industrial countries since the beginning of the industrial revolution. This way of producing energy is not sustainable because most fossil fuels will soon be depleted. Estimates of remaining reserves (considering predicted growth of energy demand) result in a depletion date for natural gas around 2035, for oil around 2045, and for coal P. Schmuck et al. (eds.), Psychology of Sustainable Development