Research shows that individuals are more likely to engage in environmentally conscious
activities when they feel a sense of responsibility and stability in their homes and communities
(Dolnicar & Grun, 2009) and, more specifically, individuals who view their housing as
transitional deviate even further from this ideal. This trend tends to correlate, in some respects
with age (Granzin & Olsen, 1991). According to a study done at the University of Paisley in
Scotland, retired individuals are the most likely candidates to compost in their homes (Edgerton,
McKechnie & Dunleavy, 2009). Yet, as a society we know that if we wish to make a lasting
change, our focus should be on the younger generations - those who will propel us into the
future. For this reason, it is essential to target college-aged students who are first establishing
personal in-home behaviors. By forming positive behavior patterns early on, we can hope that
individuals will carry these habits throughout their lives.
Part of influencing people to change a behavior is providing them with initial exposure to
the behavior. Individuals are more likely to engage in behaviors that they have direct experience
with and perceive as having a positive impact. This suggests that mere experience with a
specified behavior, i.e. energy use reduction or composting to reduce waste…finish thought.
This can be explained by a sense of self-efficacy in a certain behavior. According to self-efficacy
theory (Bandura, 1997), individuals are most motivated to engage in activities that they believe
they will be successful at; or that they are capable of achieving a certain goal. Our approach will
address this issue in both respects, first by giving individuals exposure to energy conscious
behaviors and then by allowing them to see that their actions are in fact reducing energy.
Additionally, individuals will be able to explicitly measure the energy reduction caused by those
specific actions, thus contributing to a greater sense of self-efficacy in energy reduction.
Conversely, despite an individual’s knowledge and ability of a given action, he or she is
less likely to engage in that behavior if it is perceived to have little effect. This conception of
perceived effect is known as tactical efficacy and has been found to be directly associated with
environmentally conscious behaviors (Hines et al,, 1987; Sivek & Hungerford, 1990). Our
proposition will allow students to measure their personal rates of energy consumption reduction
and to immediately understand their personal impacts. The visual confirmation, readily available
at all times via an energy display, will act as system of rewards for students. By building this
sense of self-efficacy early on, individuals will be more likely to continue these behaviors as they
move through life.
Additionally, by targeting specific residences and providing them with a quarterly
progress report, this project will engage individuals in a collective effort towards a specific goal.
Students will recognize their own progress, while feeling like a part of shared force. Those who
feel that they have social support report higher levels of environmentally conscious behaviors
(Hayward, 1990) and this project provides them with a community of individuals working
towards similar goals. As part of a group, individuals are more likely to feel that they are
depended upon to continue with an action or behavior. Furthermore, during a study on
neighborhood recycling initiatives, researchers found that when a community leader supported
these initiatives, individuals were more likely to recycle (Hopper & Nielsen, 1991). By having a
point person and a strong base of cooperation, individuals felt more capable and compelled to
engage in environmentally conscious behaviors. This idea can be extended to our project where
the landlord will act as the community leader and the residents as the community.
Research has further suggested that there is a direct relationship between convenience of a
pro-environmental behavior and the likelihood of individuals participating in that behavior
(McCarty & Shrum, 1994). More specifically, McKenzie-Mohr et al. note that a direct
correlation exists between convenience and the participation of households in composting
programs (1995). In this study, it was found that by delivering compost receptacles directly to
homes or by distributing them from a base location, the behavior increased dramatically.
While concern for the environment is on the rise, environmentally sound behaviors are
growing at a less rapid rate. In a study of the gap between environmentally related beliefs and the
accompanying behaviors Huddart, Beckley, McFarlane and Nadeau found that 72.3% of
reporters claimed to consider the impact of their actions, but time and convenience often barred
them from participating in those actions (2009). Making a great change in the environment
begins with making changes in the small things, in our everyday, individual behaviors. Changing
attitudes on environmentally conscious behaviors alone does not have a significant impact, thus
it is valuable to change the behaviors themselves. By providing people with the means to engage
in these behaviors we are ensuring that they gain a better understanding of their easy and
convenience. Through the provision immediate feedback we can reinforce these behaviors and
contribute to the likelihood that these behaviors will transform into habits.
What is your definition of project success and how will it be measured?
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