Sustain Environmentalism Habit by Habit

When we’ve successfully persuaded a consumer to engage in a pro-environmental behavior, we hope the consumer will continue to engage in this behavior. Better yet would be if them engaging in that one pro-environmental behavior spills over into them engaging in other pro-environmental behaviors. If they’re convinced to always turn off appliances when not in use, is this accompanied by purchasing and installing low-energy light bulbs? Are they also more likely to carpool?
     To explore such questions, researchers at University of Neuchatel and University of Geneva surveyed more than 2,000 people at two points in time separated by three years. The people were asked about their actions The self-reports indicate that people generally continue exhibiting a pro-environmental habit they’ve formed. Habits are strong.
     But engaging in one pro-environmental habit didn’t seem to noticeably increase the probability of engaging in other pro-environmental habits. Spillover occurred mostly for individuals with high concern about protecting the environment.
     Surprisingly, though, there was no clear evidence that people with these environmental concerns were more likely to engage in pro-environmental actions in the first place. The researchers’ explanation here, too, is the strength of habits. People can strongly value protecting against global warming, but don’t think about it much as they automatically go through daily routines.
     Thirdly, the strength of habits could explain the limited spillover from one pro-environmental action to another. Changing a single habit in life exerts no more than a gentle tug on other habits which don’t depend on it.
     A less obvious explanation occurs to me based on another train of research: When people engage in a socially desirable behavior—protecting the environment or eating healthy, let’s say—this often gives them license to next engage in a less socially desirable behavior—wasting precious resources or eating unhealthy, let’s say.
     Researchers at Harvard University and Duke University were interested in whether shoppers who brought their own bags to a grocery store would purchase a higher number of organic versions of items. The answer was yes. On those trips when the consumer brought their own bags, they were more likely to buy organic than on those trips when that same consumer didn’t bring bags. But there was an extra twist: When shoppers bought organic, they were also more likely to add candy bars and cookies.
     The most effective strategy for increasing pro-environmental behaviors is to build the desired habits one after another.

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