Q: What are the most effective tools for encouraging individuals to live in more environmentally conscious ways, by translating changes in attitudes and beliefs into concrete behaviors?
Asked by Richard Katzev, ’58, from Portland, Ore.
This is the million-dollar question. To prove just how difficult motivating behavior change can be, try this simple experiment suggested by the Sustainable Development Research Network: move the location of your silverware from one drawer to another in your kitchen, and see how many days it takes before you remember to open the correct drawer when searching for a spoon. It won't be long before you're cursing the kitchen cabinets every time you reach for the wrong handle.
There's no doubt that it takes some serious discipline to change our behavior, whether it's a change as small as relocating your silverware or as large as opting for public transportation. Anna Merritt, a Stanford PhD candidate in social psychology, says "People feel okay caring a lot about the environment and yet not doing much. Everyone thinks they care more than the average person about moral causes relating to sustainability. They also think that they do less than average, and this doesn't seem to bother people." The difficulty lies in motivating ourselves to make meaningful changes in spite of our habits.
A Swedish study proposed the Fun Theory for motivating behavior change through enjoyable engagement. By painting the stairs leading out of a subway station in black and white, and wiring each step to chime like piano keys when stepped upon, use of the stairs increased 66 percent, as they were now more fun than the adjacent escalator. This success convinced researchers that engaging the public with appealing alternatives had the potential to inspire translation of beliefs about sustainability into action.
Recently, while I stood in line at a local cafe on campus to order a chai tea latte, I glanced beside me to see a sign that said "Act Bolder." Intrigued by the phrase, I read on. The sign claimed that when 100 people acted, I would get a free drip coffee and a cookie. Acted in what way? I wondered.
Later that day, I visited the web address, ActBolder.com. The organization works with local businesses to establish a certain consumer goal, and once the goal is met, everyone who contributed receives a reward. The community challenge for the Stanford area at this campus cafe: "Reuse something you normally throw away." Forty-three of the requisite 100 people had posted to the blog, noting what item they had reused and offering positive encouragement to others. Act Bolder not only reflects the spirit of the Fun Theory, it also serves as a support network, allowing members of the community to contemplate how others are working to make a difference, and serving as an inspiration.
I looked around campus to see what else motivates me to live in a more sustainable fashion. At our student union, signs read "Compost me, please!" with accompanying graphics informing students which bin to toss their trash into. In our dining hall, signs suggest taking a tray only if necessary, for greater energy savings on washing trays after meals. Signs along the main entrance to campus advertise the Commute Club, urging affiliated staff and students to join and reduce their emissions while simultaneously receiving Clean Air Cash as financial incentive.
Despite the difficulties of motivating behavior change, simple and fun daily reminders can guide our actions toward more sustainable ones. That's why I've put a sign on my kitchen drawer reminding me: "The forks have moved!"
Katie Jewett plans to receive her bachelor's in human biology in 2011.
