What motivates people to make green change in their life? According to the New Scientist, August 22, 2009 there are five motivators of green change. The question is, who, if anyone, is using these motivators for the benefit of our planet and our human future?
Green Neighbors
I’m not surprised to learn that there’s a group-based motivator. Whether or not neighbors talk, it seems they do measure themselves against each other. It’s a sort of “keeping up with the green Joneses.” Studies have found that sharing electricity consumption figures among neighbors can help to cut consumption. Interestingly, including smiley faces on messages sent to the greenest neighbors kept them performing well – otherwise they tended to deteriorate to the level of their less green neighbors.
Green Information
Information is key to changing our behavior. We need feedback in order to improve. Right? It’s not quite that simple in practice though. Immediate feedback, showing a mileage figure when the gas pedal on a car is used for instance, can actually lead to complacency. Studies have shown that gadgets which average out performance over a longer period are effective. This kind of information can provide the challenge which comes from improving your personal best.
Competitive Green
I’m noticing a trend here – the third stimulator of green change-making is inter-group competition. One study which challenged college dormitories to compete with each other to cut electricity consumption resulted in a 55 percent cut in electricity usage. So, maybe if we get our blog readers organized into groups and set them up to compete with each other something good will happen!
Green Now or Else
Most of us aren’t very motivated by some kind of delayed, future reward. Studies show that “people respond in exactly the same way to decisions involving future environmental gains and losses as they do when making financial decisions.” Giving an upfront reward, like a payment for carrying out home insulation, seems to be effective. Also, messages worded negatively “leave your home the way it is and lose $500″ work better than pointing out savings. There has got to me some mileage in this one for using at blogs and websites.
Look at Me!
Last, but not least, some researchers are combining the power of social networks like Facebook and the cuteness of Tamagotchi pets. One application being tested has a virtual polar bear standing on an imaginary ice floe. The ice grows bigger as you report your adoption of green behaviors. How cute! Who care though if it’s effective.
Now I’m wondering, are these techniques being adopted and used by green bloggers and environmental organizations? Have you seen examples of these in action? Can you think of good ways to apply these ideas?
Related posts:
