WAKE-UP CALL
Welcome to
the December 2008 Wake-Up Call, Awake’s monthly newsletter for research and
news about behaviour change for sustainability.
To
view this newsletter as a webpage, click here
In this
edition of Wake-up Call…
·
Feature Article – 5 Useful Things to Know About People
·
Workshop Review – Cultivating Sustainability in NZ
·
60 seconds with… Katie Nimmo from Community Energy
Action
·
Interesting Article of
the Month – Voluntary Adoption
of Green Electricity
·
Upcoming Presentation –
Awake at the Sustainable Living
Festival 2009
·
Exercise of the Month –
Is There Another Way?
Feature Article – 5 Useful Things to Know About
People
Nearing the
end of the year, it seems appropriate to present a bit of a “review”
article. More specifically, we’re going
to take a look at a few things which research has shown us about the way most
people think, feel and act, and why it is beneficial to know these things if we
are attempting to change behaviour.
1. We like to be normal.
Research
into social norms has shown us repeatedly that people will “follow the herd” in
an attempt to be seen as fitting in. If
we believe X behaviour is “the done thing”, then we are likely to do it. From giving money to a busker in
the street, to recycling, studies have demonstrated the powerful effect
of observing others’ behaviour.
How can we apply this to behaviour change for
sustainability? If we can communicate that most people are
doing the right thing, then others are more likely to change their
behaviour. A good example of this was
an intervention to increase
hotel towel re-use, where the success of a sign in the bathroom which read
“help save the environment”, was compared to one which read “join your fellow
guests in helping to save the environment”.
Guests prompted by the latter sign were 34% more likely to re-use their
towels.
2. We like to be consistent
Nobody
likes to feel like a hypocrite. Whenever
we are aware that we are acting in a way which is at odds with something we
believe, we not only feel uncomfortable, but we want to do something about it. Most times we search for, and find, an excuse
which soothes our conscience so we can carry on our day undisturbed. But it is also at these times that a call to
action for behaviour change can be most effective. A more thorough overview of this area can be
found in the Feb
2008 edition of Wake-Up Call
How can we apply this to behaviour change for
sustainability? The key here is a make people aware of the
gap between their beliefs and their actions.
A lot of our actions are on autopilot and go unexamined. If we can create a situation where people are
acutely aware of their beliefs or values, then contrast this with their
behaviour, a window of opportunity is opened for people to consider alternative
behaviours with a more open mind.
3. We need to control things
We are more
likely to act if we feel that our actions make a difference. Our sense of personal control over
environmental outcomes is a strong predictor of our pro-environmental
behaviours, according to a number of studies.
(see Wake-Up Call from Jan
2008 for more on control).
Furthermore, studies
of the most effective way to influence people to take action on environmental
issues reveal the importance of giving people a say in how they engage.
How can we apply this to behaviour change for
sustainability? Recognising that people need to feel in
control, and that their actions make a difference, is an important
consideration in designing behaviour change interventions. We can start by providing people with options
to engage, rather than telling them what to do.
Then let them know the impact of their actions in a meaningful way.
4. We are creatures of habit
As many as 50% of our
daily behaviours are habitual, and it is a safe bet that a number of
unsustainable actions fit into the definition of habits. A feature of habitual behaviours is that they
are often unconscious, and rely on the existence of a stable and reliable set
of conditions. Performing a task as an
action allows for a degree of predictability in our lives, and saves us having
to constantly negotiate a new decision with every action.
How can we apply this to behaviour change for
sustainability? Having defined a certain behaviour as a
habit, we can then set out to identify the conditions which hold it in
place. This provides an opportunity to
change those conditions in order to facilitate a more considered and reasoned
decision – hopefully one which will be take a more long-term perspective, with
a little prompting and support.
5. We do care about the
environmental issues facing us
Research
time and again shows that environmental issues are important to people. A worldwide McKinsey
survey revealed that 87% of consumers worry about the environmental and
social impact of the products they buy.
In 2008, Net Balance
Foundation found that “four out of five Australian consumers agree everyone
needs to take more responsibility for their personal contribution to global
warming”. Sure, there is also plenty of
evidence that shows that people are not taking action proportionate to their
concerns, but at least the issues are on the radar for people.
How can we apply this to behaviour change for
sustainability? An important precursor to a behaviour change
intervention is to recognise where people are at, and what they need. The fact that most people are somewhat
concerned about environment issues means that raising the alarm is no longer
the challenge. The real work needs to be
done in showing people what they can do about it, and increasing the degree to
which their beliefs are reflected in their actions.
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?
You can, as
long as you include this complete blurb with it:
Awake provides psychology-based services to support the development of
sustainable behaviour in individuals, groups and organisations. Visit www.awake.com.au
for more info
Workshop Review – Cultivating Sustainability in
New Zealand
|
|
A recent
trip to NZ saw 5 workshops conducted in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington &
Christchurch. The response and feedback was great. A big
Thank You to all those
who
attended and participated with such enthusiasm.
Below are some of the comments
of
attendees
“Really
feel I am leaving today with some tangible tools to really make a difference”
“A
sound, simple and useful introduction to behaviour change techniques”
“The
workshop challenged my thinking and provided a good basis & tools for
effecting behaviour changes personally, in
the workplace and community”
“Very
empowering, practical skills in a relaxed and inspiring atmosphere”
For more information about the Cultivating Sustainability workshop, see www.awake.com.au/cultivating.html
If you would like to discuss running a workshop in your organisation or
community, email timc@awake.com.au or
phone +61 3 9387 1181
60 Seconds with… Katie
Nimmo from Community Energy Action
What first
got you focused on sustainability?
It was more a process of osmosis starting when I was very young.
Watching David Attenborough's/BBC Series "Our World" as a child (we
didn't have telly so it was the only program Mum and Dad would let us watch at
the neighbours house). Reading Gerald Durrell and James Herriot's books at a
similar age. A love for All Beings - this has always been part of my life - my
parents tolerated all manner of different kinds of pets. Riding horses, walking
my dog and being outside a lot. Growing up in a house which had 180 degree
views spanning over 80 kilometers and watching the landuse change over time.
Inheriting my Dad's love of tramping and the mountains. Holidays on a farm. Reading
Lovelocks "Gaia Hypothesis" as a teenager.
What is the
sustainable choice you have recently made of which you are most proud?
Initiating the beginnings of a 'transition town village' in a
middle-low income suburb of about in 860 houses Christchurch, New Zealand. We
are re-claiming a old name for this area called "Roimata". We have
three initial working groups of local residents - for a newsletter,
neighbourhood support, and cleaning up our bit of the local river! My goal is
to establish enough trust and connection between residents combined with good
processes so that this community work together and can make good choices about
its own future. Hopefully this future will include more people growing their
own food, every single house audited for energy efficiency, a Time Bank, a
diversity of transport choices, everybody feeling safe and secure, plus a
distinct sense of why and how Roimata is a special place to live.
What is a
less sustainable choice that you are not so proud of?
I am just hopeless at
reducing the amount of un-recyclable waste that enters my home.
Interesting Article of the Month – Voluntary
Adoption of Green Electricity
Where?
The
Voluntary Adoption of Green Electricity By Ontario-Based Companies
By Tom Berkhout
& Ian H. Rowlands Organization &
Environment, Vol. 20, No. 3, 281-303 (2007)
What is it
about?
This research
compared the values and environmental structure of those companies which adopted
green energy, with those who didn’t. In
particular, the researchers were interested in the factors which made a company
more likely to make a pro-environment decisions when there was no tangible financial
incentive on offer.
What did
they find?
Thos
companies which voluntarily chose green energy were notable by the existence of
values which supported environmental performance as an end in itself, rather
than as a way of gaining business advantage.
Additionally, these firms were more likely to have a formalised
structure for environmental issues to be handled, so that environmental causes
could be prioritised without relying on ad hoc championing by one or a few individuals.
What can we
take from this?
This study
underlines the importance of embedding environmental focus into the culture of
the organisation, in order for real, tangible action to be taken. Once many of the easy wins are gained, where
there is a clear financial benefit to the organisation, the real work is going
to need to be done by organisations which are prepared to make sustainability a
priority because it is the right thing to do – not just for short term
financial gain. This research suggests
that those organisations will be the ones which have taken a clear and
committed position at a values level, and set up structures which ensure that
environmental issues are dealt with on a formal basis.
Awake at the Sustainable Living Festival,
Melbourne, February 2009
It’s almost that time of the year again, when more
than 100,000 Melburnians and visitors descend on Federation Square for the best
in sustainable design, thinking and performance. All the info is at http://www.slf.org.au/festival/
Tim Cotter will be presenting on Saturday Feb 21 at
5pm, on the “The Psychological Drivers of Sustainability”. We’ll have a look at
some of the things which engage people in sustainable behaviours, and invite
participants to explore their own values in relation to sustainability.
It was great fun last year, and always an event to
look forward to on the Melbourne calendar.
See you there!
The festive
season is a time when many of us with an environmental commitment find it
difficult to keep our eco footprint light.
Between gift-buying, gorging on food and drink, and travelling, there
are plenty of temptations to go on a bit of a consumption binge. One way we can help ourselves to make a more
sustainable choices is to examine what it is that we get out of actions.
1. What
is an action, experience or purchase you are having second thoughts about
because of it’s environmental impact. (eg. holiday to a beach resort)
2. What
feeling will you get out of that action/experience/purchase? (e.g. Relaxation,
Fun)
3. What
value(s) will it serve? (eg. Wellbeing)
4. Is
there another way you can experience the same feeling and live the same
value(s) while being kinder to the environment? (eg Daytrips to the beach)
One way in
which we can lighten our eco footprint without necessarily lowering our “standard
of living”, or “changing our values” is by re-evaluating the way in which we
choose to define standard of living, and the way in which we satisfy our values.
The
exercise of the month provides a tool to help you get engaged, inspired, aware and
in action around sustainability. Feel free to use it on your own, with a
friend, or in your work. If you do use it with others, please tell them
where you got it!
About Awake
Awake
provides psychology-based services to support the development of sustainable
behaviour in individuals, groups and organisations. Visit www.awake.com.au
for more info
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© Awake 2008