Co-authors Elizabeth Dunn and Jiaying Zhao
What if the most effective ways to fight climate change made you happy?
That’s the bold idea behind Leave the Lights On: How Joyful Decisions Can Save Our Species, a new book by Dr. Elizabeth Dunn and Dr. Jiaying Zhao, professors in UBC’s department of psychology.
The research collaborators challenge everything we think we know about sustainable living to help us see climate action as an opportunity to build a brighter future, without giving up the things that bring us joy.
Drawing on insights from social psychology and behavioural science — and from interviewing more than eighty people — Dr. Dunn and Dr. Zhao found that guilt and despair are not sustainable motivators for climate action. Instead, their research shows that when people enjoy climate-friendly actions, they are more likely to continue them and inspire others to follow.
“As a happiness researcher, I wondered if joy might be the missing weapon in our fight against climate change. Many of the things we need to do to fight climate change are actually good for our happiness. And when you enjoy changes that you're making in your life, you stick with them.”
While most climate advice demands self-sacrifice, such as eating less meat, travelling less, and shopping less, this book offers a simple idea: focus on actions that feel good and make a meaningful difference.
“When Liz approached me, I realized happiness is the missing ingredient in climate action. Joy can be a powerful driver of long-term behaviour change and when people feel deprived, they don’t stick with change,” says Dr. Jiaying Zhao. “We joined forces to find sweet spots: things people can do to fight climate change and get happier too.”
Making small changes in how we eat, travel, live, and shop can add up to big, collective action, without wearing us out.
This can look like:
- Choosing meals you love that happen to have a lower climate impact
- Traveling in ways that feel lighter and less stressful
- Designing your home and routines to be both efficient and enjoyable
These small shifts reduce emissions without adding friction to your daily life. It’s a practical approach rooted in behavioural science: we are more likely to adopt changes that are easy, visible, and rewarding.
By reading this book, you will discover that:
- You don’t have to go vegan or give up flying. Smart substitutions (chicken over beef, carry-on over checked bags) lower emissions with less personal friction.
- Small talk matters. Normalizing climate conversations with friends and family helps shift social norms and catalyzes cultural change.
- It’s OK to leave the lights on. Focus on higher-impact actions instead of smaller interventions.
“Joy is contagious, so when you make changes that make you happy, other people will want to try them too. I hope that people will be inspired to make some simple changes in their lives that they actually find enjoyable and can stick with.”
Leave the Lights On doesn’t just tell you what to do, it changes how you feel about doing it and it compels you to take actions that bring you joy.
“Instead of telling people to give things up, we offer choices that reduce carbon emissions and increase your happiness. The goal isn’t perfection, but progress that you can sustain.”
The book is on sale starting June 16, 2026.
About the authors
Dr. Elizabeth Dunn is a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia and coauthor of HAPPY MONEY. She directs UBC’s Happy Lab, which focuses on how to optimize valuable resources including time, money, and carbon to maximize human well-being.
Dr. Jiaying Zhao (JZ) is a professor of psychology and sustainability and founder and director of the Behavioral Sustainability Lab at the University of British Columbia, which designs and tests innovative behavioral solutions to encourage sustainable actions.
