Tips from Psychology to Empower Sustainability

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Tips from Psychology to Empower Sustainability

• Christie Manning
• cmanning_at_macalester.edu

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• We are concerned
• We want to do the right thing
• What is going on?

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Two types of thinking

• vs.

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To make a long story short

• Homer usually wins
• But sometimes even Homer makes a sustainable
  choice

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Todays goal

• To talk about the circumstances that empower
  action
• Based on research in psychology

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Tools for Empowerment

• Make sustainability the social default
• Emphasize personal relevance
• Make hidden information visible
• Foster mindfulness
• Create opportunities for competence
• Make change indirect
• Balance urgency with realistic hope

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1 Make sustainability the social default
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• Communicate norms
• Celebrate others attempts
• Provide
• opportunities to
• demonstrate
• sustainability

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2 Make it personal
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Its not about the environment!
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Find a better frame
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• Focus on local issues, local effects
• Connect it to real experiences
• Convey emotion
• Tell personal stories

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Archive, Minnesota Department of Natural
Resources, Bugwood.org
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3. Make hidden information visible
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with vivid, concrete images
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• http//www.chrisjordan.com/

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with feedback loops
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with social (normative) feedback
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4 Foster mindfulness
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• Engage thinking
• Remind people of their personal values
• Teach new questions

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• Help people think circle instead of line

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5 Create opportunities to build knowledge and
competence
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• Provide hands-on opportunities to try new
  behaviors
• Give task-specific information

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6 Make change a byproduct
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Support sustainability at natural change points
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Offer the sustainable option first
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7. Balance urgency with realistic hope
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Because the issues are paralyzing
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• Have a positive vision
• Emphasize solutions connected to real-world
  action
• Redefine the scale with attainable goals

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And show people they are not alone!
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Conclusion

• We must be the change we wish to see in the
  world
• Your efforts will inspire and empower those
  around you
• Each small change paves the way for greater
  effort

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Thank you!
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Acknowledgments

• Thank you to Philipp Muessig, Britt Carlson,
  Theresa Gaffey, and especially Su Beran
• Ami Voeltz and Do It Green!
• Kate Rime and Blue Sky Guide
• Northern Environmental Support Trust
• Elise Amel, Britain Scott, Jake Forsman

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• Show the reaction for every action
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?v6Eg_SEAnE-M