Although a bit late, my two cents on Prof. Manitates and his "trinity of despair"
These three variables do a good job of showing the different views on our decisions to participate in environmental change. The fact is however some of these factors are much more important and influential then others.

Although human nature and environmental strategy are measures that are easy to understand but the idea of social change presented by the professor is a bit complicated and is worth discussing. In his presentation notes, he described his disdain for patch work approach towards change by small dedicated groups and rather suggests a change of "system" thought. I feel this is an optimistic and unrealistic approach to understanding the social contect of promoting change. All change in the world has not come by an all of a sudden change in mentality, it takes the pushing and hard work by leaders and innovators. It takes this push by a few to create the pr and publicty that in turn will take these actions into the mainstream. Just like with securing rights for African Americans in the 1960s, it took the courage of a few to get the ball rolling to create enough controversy that the issue of rights became a mainstream discussion. The same can be seen with environmental groups today who are setting new ideas into the concious and discussion of everyday people.