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Can You Change for Climate Change?

Can You Change for Climate Change?

4 years ago
Anonymous $9ruWwTnhZq

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/can-you-change-for-climate-change/

Behavioral interventions work best when people are exposed to strong competing motivations. One example is social comparison, the idea that people will change behaviors when they realize they are doing less for the environment than their peers or neighbors. But interventions are most impactful when subtle contextual changes rearrange the physical context in which people make choices. These changes, also known as “nudges,” pave the path of least resistance, making the pro-environmental choice the convenient and easy one.

For example, when recycling bins are located on every floor of a building, rather than only at the entrance, people are more apt to recycle because they have less distance to walk. Similarly, when hotels automatically set air conditioning to sustainable temperatures (77 degrees Fahrenheit) they save energy because guests tend not to adjust the thermostat.