Promoting Environmentalism Lynnette C. Zelezny* California State University, Fresno P. Wesley Schultz California State University, San Marcos This issue of the Journal of Social Issues focuses on the psychology, sociology, and public policy of global environmental issues. The goals of the issue are (1) to describe the current state of the environment and environmentalism, (2) to present new theories and research on environmental attitudes and behaviors, and (3) to explore obstacles and ethical considerations in promoting proenvironmental action. The following brief introduction places this issue within a context of pre- ceding JSI issues, provides a framework for the articles, and highlights several recurring themes that occur throughout the issue. As we begin the 21st century, humanity faces a number of pressing social issues. Looking back at recent issues of JSI reveals many of the issues on which psychologists have worked: sexual harassment, national and international group conflict, tobacco policy, health issues, youth violence, and prejudice and racism, to name just a few. Of all the social issues that face us in this millennium, the most daunting are environmental problems. In the last 100 years, humans have abused the planet on an unprecedented scale. The air, water, and land of the planet are becoming overused and polluted to the point where a large-scale environmental crisis is a real possibility. As Oskamp stated in a 1995 JSI article: “In this epoch of history, there is one danger that stands out as the most urgent and serious threat to the future of humanity—the threat of ecological disaster” (Oskamp, 1995, p. 217). Indeed, it is difficult (if not impossible) to find any part of the natural environment on this planet that has not been affected by human activity. If life on this planet is to 365 © 2000 The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues Journal of Social Issues, Vol. 56, No. 3, 2000, pp. 365–371 *Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Lynnette Zelezny, Department of Psychology, California State University, 5310 North Campus Dr., M/S PH 11, Fresno, CA 94740-8019 [e-mail: lynnette@csufresno.edu].