WAKE-UP CALL

 

Welcome to the May 2009 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 – Does Knowledge Lead to Action?

·          Upcoming Workshops Pt I – Cultivating Sustainability in Australia

·          Upcoming Workshops Pt II – Cultivating Sustainability in New Zealand

·          Interesting Article of the Month – Simple and Painless?

·          Exercise of the Month – Getting The Knowledge We Need

 

Feature Article – Stages of Change

 

Although it would be fantastic if behaviour change happened in an instant, it is generally accepted that there are a number of stages which people must go through in order to change.  Those working to promote the uptake of environmentally friendly behaviours can benefit from understanding these stages, and using this understanding to tailor their efforts.

 

A useful model of behaviour change was developed by James Prochaska, primarily through investigations into people who had successfully changed their behaviour with relation to health-related behaviours.  The model not only describes the steps which we go through during the change process, but also provides tips on supporting ourselves to progress through the steps.  

 

The Prochaska model has been adapted by Bob Doppelt, the author of The Power of Sustainable Thinking and applied to behaviour change for environmental sustainability, in order to provide sustainability advocates with tips on supporting people to adopt green behaviours.  The “5-D Model” developed by Doppelt mirrors each of Prochaska’s stages – below is an overview of Prochaska’s steps, with Doppelts adaptation in brackets. 

 

1.       Pre-contemplation (Disinterest)

 

 

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

 

 

Upcoming Workshops Pt I – Cultivating Sustainability in Australia

 

Cultivating Sustainability workshops have been scheduled for the following Australian locations and dates.

 

·          Hobart, Tue June 2nd

·          Burnie (TAS), Thu June 4th   

·          Brisbane, Tue June 14th

 

These are public workshops with all welcome to attend.  

 

Cost:       For-profits $250pp

               Not-for-profit/Government $200pp

               Individuals/Community Groups $120pp

 

More information, including online registration details, can be found at www.awake.com.au/cultivating.html

 

Cultivating Sustainability is a 1-day workshop which provides sustainability advocates with insights, models and practical tools to support their behaviour change efforts.  Anybody who has taken on the challenge of influencing others to live and work more sustainably will find this workshop a valuable addition to their skills.

 

For more information about the Cultivating Sustainability workshop, see www.awake.com.au/cultivating.html

 

Upcoming Workshops Pt II – Cultivating Sustainability in New Zealand

 

Planning is underway for Cultivating Sustainability workshops in several New Zealand locations in August. 

Probable dates and locations are as follows

 

·          Christchurch, Mon August 17th

·          Wellington, Wed August 19th   

·          Napier, Fri August 21st

·          Hamilton, Mon August 24th

·          Auckland, Tue August 27th

 

These are public workshops with all welcome to attend.  

 

Cost:       For-profits $250pp

               Not-for-profit/Government $200pp

               Individuals/Community Groups $120pp

 

 

More information can be found at  www.awake.com.au/cultivating.html

 

To register your interest in attending any of the workshops above, email info@awake.com.au

 

Cultivating Sustainability is a 1-day workshop which provides sustainability advocates with insights, models and practical tools to support their behaviour change efforts.  Anybody who has taken on the challenge of influencing others to live and work more sustainably will find this workshop a valuable addition to their skills.

 

 

In-house Workshops

Space has been left in the schedule for groups requesting an in-house workshop, in or near any of the locations above, which is a great option if you have a number of people wishing to attend.   If you are part of an organisation, green team, or community network that would benefit from an in-house workshop, contact timc@awake.com.au to discuss.  

 

 

For more information about the Cultivating Sustainability workshop, see www.awake.com.au/cultivating.html

 

Interesting Article of the Month   Simple and Painless? The Limitations Of Spillover In Environmental Campaigning”

 

Where?

Simple and Painless? The limitations of spillover in environmental campaigning

By Tom Crompton and John Thogerson

WWF Strategies for Change Project

 

 

What is it about? 

This article from WWF is an in-depth investigation into the degree to which making one small behaviour change, such as installing energy-saving light bulbs, is likely to lead people to take on more ambitious changes.  The authors claim that this premise is a key assumption in the majority of behaviour change campaigns, and has not been sufficiently examined in order to justify it’s adoption.

 

What did they find?

Evidence for the so-called “spillover effect” is limited, leading the authors to conclude that this strategy is risky, and should not be adopted with blind faith.  Furthermore, they present evidence that the likelihood of spillover occurring is dependent on the reasons for adopting the initial green behaviour.  If it is done for self-interest and financial reasons, then spillover is less likely to occur than if it is done for more pro-social or moral reasons.

 

What can we take from this?

Luring people into adopting green behaviours to save money is fine, as long as we recognise that this is where the commitment is likely to stop.  To enact deeper, more long-term change, we need to be engaging peoples hearts, not just their heads and wallets.   This article provides a compelling case for reviewing the assumptions on which we design behaviour change programs.

 

 

Exercise of the Month – Getting The Knowledge We Need

 

This months exercise follows on from the feature article above about the importance of information and knowledge in supporting us to take action.  The purpose is to encourage us to take responsbility for getting the information we need to move into action.

 

1.       Choose one pro-environment behaviour you feel you can’t perform fully, because you do not have the information and knowledge you need.

2.       What type of information do you need?

a)      Information about the pro’s and con’s and benefits of various options?

b)      “How to” information about where to go, what to do etc?

c)       Some other type of information?

3.       Where could you get the information you need? 

4.       Who else needs to be involved?

5.       What is the first action you are going to take to get that information?

 

We often feel like we “can’t” act when we don’t have the information we require.  By taking responsibility for getting what we need, we can move from “can’t do” into action and feel a lot more empowered along the way. 

 

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

 

 

Subscribing to Wake-Up Call

 

If you know someone who is interested in behaviour change for sustainability, please forward Wake-Up Call to them so they can subscribe.

 

To subscribe to Wake-Up call, email subscribe@awake.com.au

 

If you do not wish to receive this newsletter in future, please email unsubscribe@awake.com.au with “unsubscribe” in the subject field.

 

 

© Awake 2009