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Great resource for designing P2/CP programs

Forwarded on behalf of Mr. Hamner.



I just attended an excellent workshop on Community-Based Social =
Marketing (CBSM) and strongly recommend the resources on the associated =
website, called Fostering Sustainable Behavior, at
http://www.cbsm.com/

This is produced by a Canadian professor who has done excellent research =
into why so many programs that promote sustainable behaviors fail, and =
what methods really are effective at getting people to change behaviors. =
 His book, Fostering Sustainable Behavior, is completely available on =
line for free (after you register for free).  It is **short**, clear, =
well-documented and has fascinating examples and practical suggestions.  =
Also available online are many articles and abstracts that present =
high-quality research into behavior change.  The website resources are =
really outstanding.

Some key points, substantiated by experimental studies documented in the =
book: =20

Changing attitudes does not usually change behaviors
Economic incentives do not usually change behaviors
Desired activities (water conservation, composting, ride sharing etc) =
need to be broken down into sub-activities, and for EACH sub-activity, =
the ACTUAL barriers and benefits must be clearly identified using =
literature and field research (focus groups, surveys, observation).
Behavior change is most promoted by obtaining commitments, using prompts =
as memory aids, promoting normative behaviors, and effective =
communications customized to specific audiences about specific =
sub-activities.
Certain tricks such as obtaining small commitments to get larger ones =
are AMAZINGLY effective when used properly.

In reading this book, I find clear explanation why so many well-meaning =
attempts to promote conservation or P2/CP have been ineffective, and =
many great ideas for making programs more effective.  I also note that =
the P2 promotion programs that are most effective in my opinion, the =
Green Star-type programs, are already following the main themes outlined =
above, and this seems like a highly probable reason for their success.  =
It is nice to know why, at a fundamental level, something works.

For those concerned about promoting P2/CP in government policy, it will =
be very interesting to consider policy-makers as a community and define =
those community dynamics, and try to apply CBSM concepts to them.  It =
can't be less successful than the existing efforts to date, I think.

Final note:  Most of the concepts being applied in CBSM are rooted in =
well known public health methods, and your local public health officials =
would be great people to share these resources with and talk about how =
to work together to promote P2/CP.

That's http://www.cbsm.com/, read the online guide and your perspective =
on changing behaviors of people will never be the same.  Seriously!

Burt Hamner
Producer, CleanerProduction.Com

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I just attended an excellent workshop = on=20 Community-Based Social Marketing (CBSM) and strongly recommend the = resources on=20 the associated website, called Fostering Sustainable Behavior, = at
http://www.cbsm.com/
 
This is produced by a Canadian = professor who has=20 done excellent research into why so many programs that promote = sustainable=20 behaviors fail, and what methods really are effective at getting people = to=20 change behaviors.  His book, Fostering Sustainable Behavior, is = completely=20 available on line for free (after you register for free).  It is = **short**,=20 clear, well-documented and has fascinating examples and practical=20 suggestions.  Also available online are many articles and = abstracts=20 that present high-quality research into behavior change.  The = website=20 resources are really outstanding.
 
Some key points, substantiated by = experimental=20 studies documented in the book: 
 
Changing attitudes does not usually = change=20 behaviors
Economic incentives do not usually = change=20 behaviors
Desired activities (water conservation, = composting,=20 ride sharing etc) need to be broken down into sub-activities, and for = EACH=20 sub-activity, the ACTUAL barriers and benefits must be clearly = identified using=20 literature and field research (focus groups, surveys, = observation).
Behavior change is most promoted by = obtaining=20 commitments, using prompts as memory aids, promoting normative = behaviors, and=20 effective communications customized to specific audiences about specific = sub-activities.
Certain tricks such as obtaining small = commitments=20 to get larger ones are AMAZINGLY effective when used = properly.
 
In reading this book, I find clear = explanation why=20 so many well-meaning attempts to promote conservation or P2/CP have been = ineffective, and many great ideas for making programs more = effective.  I=20 also note that the P2 promotion programs that are most effective in my = opinion,=20 the Green Star-type programs, are already following the main themes = outlined=20 above, and this seems like a highly probable reason for their = success.  It=20 is nice to know why, at a fundamental level, something = works.
 
For those concerned about promoting = P2/CP in=20 government policy, it will be very interesting to consider policy-makers = as a=20 community and define those community dynamics, and try to apply CBSM = concepts to=20 them.  It can't be less successful than the existing efforts to = date, I=20 think.
 
Final note:  Most of the concepts = being=20 applied in CBSM are rooted in well known public health methods, and your = local=20 public health officials would be great people to share these resources = with and=20 talk about how to work together to promote P2/CP.
 
That's http://www.cbsm.com/, read the online = guide and=20 your perspective on changing behaviors of people will never be the = same. =20 Seriously!
 
Burt Hamner
Producer,=20 CleanerProduction.Com

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