Quick Tips for Facilitating Behavior Change to Make an Environmental Impact

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Quick Tips
Facilitating Behavior Change
for Climate Impact

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How can you effectively launch a
behavior change campaign at
work to shift towards
sustainable choices?

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1. Time it right
3

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“There is a human survival
aspect to it: that we can’t
constantly, everyday, change
what we are doing.”
− Matt Biggar

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High-potential opportunities for behavior change
• New Office: Chance to change
commute, recycling, and purchases
• New Office Arrangement: Design can
create a setting for behavioral shifts
• Outside Factors: Added infrastructure
outside (like a bike lane, or subway
stop) can promote positive choices
• New Employees: Provides platform to
offer direction and support

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2. Reframe motivation

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What motivates your particular
audience? Once you know this,
you can affect people’s practical
and intrinsic motivations.

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Change the conversation by shifting language
Move emphasis away from “climate change”
and “sustainability” to reach new audiences.
• Sustainable Transportation: Reframe
discussion towards active transportation,
community-oriented, healthy living
• Sustainable Food: Talk about local,
seasonal, healthy food choices
• Energy Conservation: Explain the
reduction of business costs and health
benefits of natural light
• Waste Reduction: Shift focus from
recycling/composting, to sharing items

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3. Design an intervention

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Keys to success?
• Individual commitment
• Make it written, specific,
and public
• Built-in supportive
social conditions
• Find situational relevance with
others. What are the common
denominators to influence
individuals’ behavioral patterns?
• Promotes healthy and positive
peer pressure

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Keys to success (cont.)
• Learn through experience
• Provide online and in-person check-ins
• Mitigate negative social influences;
use social support
• Share knowledge
• Build behavior-specific competence
• By experiencing the practical benefits
of what you are changing, the behavior
can internalize itself
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Remember: change happens
in loops, not lines.

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Change conditions to facilitate behavior change
Practical
& intrinsic
motivation
Behavior
Habits
Identity
Specific
knowledge &
competence
Physical
conditions
Social
conditions
Learning
opportunities
Past
experience

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Want more?
View Matt Biggar’s webinar
www.netimpact.org/webinars/facilitating-behavior-
change-for-climate-impact
Sign up to join Climate Disruptors
www.netimpact.org/sign-up-to-be-a-climate-disruptor