08/29/2026
THE CLIMATE CONVERSATIONS, Episode 5 - In this weekâs Climate Conversation with Dr. Joseph Shea & Dr. Loraine Lavallee, Assistant Professor in the UNBC Psychology Department, they unpack the contradiction at the heart of Canadian environmentalism: we say we care about the planet, yet we live one of the most resource-intensive lifestyles on Earth.
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Dr. Loraine Lavallee received her PhD in social psychology from the University of British Columbia in 2000 and joined UNBCâs faculty that same year. Her interdisciplinary background includes a BA in history and a research fellowship in UBCâs Faculty of Forestry.
Dr. Lavallee is past Chair of the Environmental Section of the Canadian Psychological Association. Her research examines the cultural forces that disconnect people from nature and environmental awareness, and explores policy tools that can reconnect individuals with collective approaches to conservation and sustainable living.
In this episode, Dr. Lavallee breaks down why Nordic countries outperform Canada on sustainability, tracing it back to differing cultural values â self-transcendence versus hedonism â and how income inequality quietly undermines conservation goals. The conversation dives into cap-and-trade versus carbon tax psychology, why âpersonal cap-and-mitigateâ systems might sidestep political backlash, and a fascinating student study revealing that our ideal lifestyles are far simpler than the luxury homes we say we want. They also explore climate anxiety, the healing power of awe in nature, and why local action â even when the problem feels global â is where hope actually lives.
