can councils lead behaviour change?
TRANSCRIPT
Can Councils lead Behaviour Change?
Warren Hatter Local Improvement Advisor
Climate & Behaviour Change Advisor to West Sussex County Council
[email protected] 07971 413164
Can Councils lead Behaviour Change?
Warren Hatter Local Improvement Advisor
Climate & Behaviour Change Advisor to West Sussex County Council
[email protected] 07971 413164
Well, can they? And should they?!
The almost-famous ʻPiano Stairsʼ. But why does this work?
Itʼs not just ʻfunʼ, is it?!
Signs that behaviour change is being taken seriously
… from a broadsheet reader’s perspective at least
Why does this work?
• We are nowhere near as rational in our decision-making as we like to think we are
• Though we are predictably irrational (which is helpful)
• Our behaviour is highly context-dependent
• (though there’s lots we don’t understand) we know it’s linked to our evolutionary success as a ‘Super Social Ape’
Why does this work?
• We are nowhere near as rational in our decision-making as we like to think we are
• Though we are predictably irrational (which is helpful)
• Our behaviour is highly context-dependent
• (though there’s lots we don’t understand) we know it’s linked to our evolutionary success as a ‘Super Social Ape’
It’s deep, and we shouldn’t deny it!
One example among many
Two groups given information about their neighbourhood energy use
Group A ��� Group B���
Straight info about energy use Straight info and smiley/sad face
Source: Hunting Dynasty
The example (almost) cited by David Cameron in his TED talk.
One example among many
Two groups given information about their neighbourhood energy use
Group A ��� Group B���
40% more energy saved ���
High users reduced consumption
Low users increased consumption
High users reduced consumption
Low users consistent consumption
Source: Hunting Dynasty
One example among many
Two groups given information about their neighbourhood energy use
Group A ��� Group B���
40% more energy saved ���
High users reduced consumption
Low users increased consumption
High users reduced consumption
Low users consistent consumption
Source: Hunting Dynasty
Key point: something as simple as a smiley has a major impact, which shows that using behaviour effects can be low/no cost, but can need lots of expertise.
Overview of effects
Source: Young Foundation
Overview of effects
Source: Young Foundation
This is one of many ways of categorising behavioural effects. The different models have much in common and hardly contradict each other – it’s just that there is no definitive understanding.
Behavioural Economics Cheat Sheet
• Framing • Loss aversion • Social norms
If you want to give a non-expert a VERY quick way of thinking about whether they could use behavioural techniques/effects, here is the ultra-shortlist of the effects most likely to work!
Emissions in a Locality
From
To …
Emissions in a Locality
From
To …
In the context of reducing emisssions: the major reductions needed are in the emissions of citizens and businesses, not the state. Limited control over this means that if local authorities are to act as place shapers and reduce emissions, they need to be expert in prompting behaviour change.
Typical UK Person: 15 tonnes
Household fuel 13%
Household Vehicle fuel
10%
Household electricity
9%
Personal air travel
8%
Other Personal transport
3%
Cars 5%
Food and drink (from
shops) 12%
Hotels, pubs and catering
4%
Paper and printing
1%
Textiles and
clothes 2%
Electronic / computers / appliances
4%
Construction 6%
Water and Sewage
2%
Defence, education and
health and social services
11%
Other 10%
Source: Mike Berners-Lee
Once you let people and places take responsibility for their emissions by including embedded emissions, this is how the emissions of a typical place or person in the UK break down. What does this mean in behavioural terms?
Typical UK Person: 15 tonnes
Household fuel 13%
Household Vehicle fuel
10%
Household electricity
9%
Personal air travel
8%
Other Personal transport
3%
Cars 5%
Food and drink (from
shops) 12%
Hotels, pubs and catering
4%
Paper and printing
1%
Textiles and
clothes 2%
Electronic / computers / appliances
4%
Construction 6%
Water and Sewage
2%
Defence, education and
health and social services
11%
Other 10%
Source: Mike Berners-Lee
Asparagus (250g pack): 2kg
Low 125 g
Air freighted from Peru
Average 2 kg
Local In-season
High 3.5 kg
Source: Mike Berners-Lee
There’s lots of knowledge we are just getting to feel our way around. One example of many is the massive difference in emissions between air-freighted and seasonal, local food.
Understanding footprints helps us understand behaviour
Source: West Sussex County Council
Understanding the real breakdown of the emissions for which we are responsible could lead us to a behavioural checklist – a menu of things that doing more or less of will reduce our emissions. This is a very early draft from WSCC developing this idea in relation to food …
Understanding footprints helps us understand behaviour
Source: West Sussex County Council
… continued
A congested drive can cause three times the emissions of the
same drive on a clear road
Speed plays a dominant role in a number of transport indicators including fuel consumption and CO2 emissions
Issue Changes in behaviour to address issue
•People drive at 60 mph on motorways
•People drive within speed limits
•People keep the windows up when driving fast
•More people work at home
•People avoid driving during rush hour
•Parents walk their children to school
Flying is 10 times worse than taking the train
•People to holiday in the UK •Businesses to use video-conferencing for meetings
Source: West Sussex County Council
… and in relation to transport
Not just about CO2 & sustainability
• Current climate: o how to withdraw from service delivery?
• Building Big Society: o how to get people involved who aren’t yet?
• Health, crime, etc
Behaviour change debates rage in these and other areas – more developed in some than others, as is the expertise.
‘Clearing up’
Map of behaviour change interven:ons “Carrots” “S:cks”
Events
Community champions
Physical changes
One-‐to-‐ones
Social adver:sing
Peer pressure
Informa:on & Educa:on
Financial incen:ves
Making it easier
Legisla:on
Enforcement
Fines
Prosecu:on
Naming (and shaming)
Service redesigns
Fees and charges
WPAs, Love Food Hate Waste, etc
Tree wardens, Greening Campaign
Love Food, Hate Waste
Removing abandoned cars
& graffi:
Engauge, 3-‐in-‐1 Card
Tree wardens’ awareness raising,
driving/cycling courses, Taste magazine,
Health Walks, Small Change Big Difference booklet
Move For Health seminars
Bigger Picture training, etc
WPAs, SBP, STAs
Safer Routes to School
Showers
School Safety Zones
Energy M’ment Plan ac:ons
U:lity management seminars,
Business WPAs cold-‐calling
Rangers’ woodland projects
Travel plans for site developments
Greening Campaign
Consultancy
Co-‐produc:on
Key:
Targe:ng public & businesses
Targe:ng staff & services
Safer Routes To School
Engauge
10% Challenge
Energy Management Project monitoring
Perform
Car parking charges
Mileage budgets Health checks
Energy Management Project, bike purchase scheme
Pool bikes
Staff champions Staff sustainability groups
Corporate sustainability group Corporate tools Sustainability appraisal
Carbon model We can map interventions in different ways, for different audiences …
We use some of this knowledge
We use some of this knowledge
If we look at a local authority’s behaviour change interventions, we can see examples of behaviour change
techniques being used, though often
unconsciously.
Operational approach
Source: Mindspace (Institute for Government/Cabinet Office, 2010)
What is needed is more systematic approaches. The
MINDSPACE adaptation of the 4Es
model was a good start.
Operational approach
Source: Mindspace (Institute for Government/Cabinet Office, 2010)
Do we take behaviour change seriously?
• JDs? • Capacity? • Manage performance? • Networking?
A rhetorical question to be honest! Local authorities
have little deliberate capacity in behaviour
change theory or practice. This is what I’m working to change – @warrenhatter