I'm a sustainable behaviour change expert for events. AMA

Great insights - thanks Livvy.

I find the psychology of it all so interesting. It’s useful to know, so we can try to understand others’ behaviour, when it’s so different from our own. E.g. I’ve been to many festivals, been very tired, walked for miles (I miss Glastonbury) and yet I’ve never left anything behind for others to pick up. It infuriates me that others do this, as festivals or anywhere. If you can take it with you, you can take it away with you when you leave!

1 Like

This is an example of a Empathy Map that I used with a group looking at people who choose to buy new or choose to buy from the Reuse sector

2 Likes

If you haven’t already, the book Package design workbook written by Steven Dupuise has a great section on Packaging evolution which highlights the need during world war 1 and 2 for safe food and drink . the tin can was born. I think you would find it relevant?

2 Likes

I find the psychology of it all so interesting. It’s useful to know, so we can try to understand others’ behaviour, when it’s so different from our own. E.g. I’ve been to many festivals, been very tired, walked for miles (I miss Glastonbury) and yet I’ve never left anything behind for others to pick up. It infuriates me that others do this, as festivals or anywhere. If you can take it with you, you can take it away with you when you leave!

Yes I hear you, but that is because of your values… we have to accept that people don’t think like us, its why I studied behaviour change- and that’s when i realised we can’t change peoples behaviour but we can change the infrastructure much quicker. Look up Maslow’s Value Types- It is really enlightening- if people are more motivated by their community they will follow the social norms within that.

3 Likes

Is that different to his hierarchy of needs?

1 Like

Completely- it will give materials a value and make it socially accepted and expected to take materials back. They will not activate values or a care for the environment but they will change the social norm. In countries with DRS, there is very little litter because other people pick it up so there is less of a litter ‘tipping point’

4 Likes

Your reminding me of my CERT Ed training. Thank you.

2 Likes

Brooke I dont follow any social media accounts as such but these are the people and organisations doing interesting things in the field of behavioural economics:
Dan Ariely- his website and blog is fascinating and so are his short courses
Ogilvy
Mindworx

1 Like

Is that different to his hierarchy of needs?

It is based on this and what are values are at the different stages- settlers are in the basic needs section and motivated by community and safety
Prospecters are motivated by looking good and get involved in something when it is good for their image- the environmental movement has a lot of prospectors joining it now as its more desirable to be seen to be sustainable.

Pioneers - motivated by their environmental and social values.

Within each section their are sub-characters but its useful.

2 Likes

BlockquoteYour reminding me of my CERT Ed training. Thank you.
What was the training on?

1 Like

@Jayne @Steph

You can find more resources on my website, including podcasts, video discussions and a short online course which goes through some of these key principles and how to research and design an initiative: http://www.sustainablesidekicks.com/behaviour-change1.html

I love running workshops on these topics using the techniques from design thinking and behavioural economics to unpack the behaviours and the barriers to design solutions. Shout if you would like to do one sometime. This chat has reminded me on how much fun it is and all the a-has that are unpacked with these disciplines.

2 Likes

Apologies, a cert ed is a teacher training course, it is the qualification gained if you haven’t got a degree. I did my course with a wonderful woman called Lou Mycroft. This chat has reminded me how much she showed us relating to changing behaviour, of course this was relevant to unruly 14 + year olds

2 Likes

Thank you for hosting Livvy, I have got loads out of the chat and a pathway a head. Time to get creative!
Thank you all
Jayne

1 Like

Thanks for your time today, Livvy - it’s been really helpful. Lots to think about and put into action!

2 Likes

Do you find it a challenge to align your sustainability values when working with big agencies like GPJ? Do you think they apply sustainability policy on a project / client relationship basis rather than a company wide basis?

My values are to support and inspire people to adopt sustainability by making it relevant to them. As long as people have a desire to make positive changes then I will consider working with them (there are some industries I wont work with of course and I won’t get involved with greenwash). Agencies like GPJ have people within them who are making changes and working within the industry to foster change (can’t tell you yet about the initiative but its a good one).

There are lots of EM who want to make changes but are hampered by client priorities and the competition from other agencies. If there was a levels playing field within the industry where the only option was environmentally and socially responsible events then clients going for the cheapest option wouldn’t be an option.

But as customers expect sustainability, brands want to align with that, so its all about changing the social norms and highlighting the value and benefits from doing things differently.

3 Likes

Apologies, a cert ed is a teacher training course, it is the qualification gained if you haven’t got a degree. I did my course with a wonderful woman called Lou Mycroft. This chat has reminded me how much she showed us relating to changing behaviour, of course this was relevant to unruly 14 + year olds

We are all big kids really!

2 Likes

Time’s up everyone! Thank you for your questions and thank you to @Livvy for hosting this Ask Me Anything session.

If you have any more questions for Livvy, you can contact her on here @Livvy, on her website Sustainable Sidekicks (where you can find lots of other behaviour change tips) or through LinkedIn.

Since this topic was so popular, we have created a new conversation here - please come on over and continue the conversation about sustainable events and behaviour change.

Livvy will also be running a workshop on ‘Creating an Engaging Sustainability Policy’ on 16th July 1-3pm- Freelancer rate of £59.

Join us on the Green Room next week for our Ask Me Anything Session on Tuesday 14th July, for a #PlasticFreeJuly themed topic.

Have you rad Tom Zsarkys book on packaging? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Future-Packaging-Tom-Szaky/dp/1523095504

1 Like

Thank you, Livvy. I loved this session. :smiley:
I was caught in a phone call and didn’t manage to ask anything, but took a lot of notes of websites, books, etc to look at.

2 Likes

This topic was automatically closed after 35 minutes. New replies are no longer allowed.