It’s Not Easy Being Green

The Politics and Issues of Establishing a Green Environment

“Going Green” “GREEN” refers to almost anything that places a

high or higher priority on environmental concerns or activities.

“Going Green” refers to the process of making deliberate decisions to lighten your ecological footprint.

To GO GREEN is to make changes in your life and aspects of your daily routine to be form environmentally habits.

Key Elements of Greening Up Awareness – You as an

individual can make a difference

Education – Be aware of the details that make a difference

Action – Act upon the things you can do and support the things you can’t

The Green LibraryFacilities - Awareness

Campus hub Shared reasons to visit

Resources - Education Print, electronic, Web 2.0 Wayfinders, guides, training

Staffing - Action Common vision, involvement Providing support for others

Who are your Partners? Who are your partners? Don’t be isolated

What is going on in your community? Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling

What impact does your higher organization’s recycling efforts have on YOU?

Facilities, physical plant, county maintenance

What other organizations can you attach to in order to share the ride?

Healthy Guilford, Share the Ride

Behaviors/Instincts/Habits A behavior is something that you do; some action that you

take. Conventionally, a behavior is something that you act out physically, such as taking a walk, or smoking a cigarette, or rolling your eyes when your spouse is complaining. However, behaviors can be subtle, non-physical things too. Thinking can be considered a behavior, for instance.

Instincts often help habits develop. Habits are different than instincts because they are learned.

Habits are formed by practice, and without practice, for example, you could never have walked up to a computer for the first time and type 90 words a minute. A habit is any behavior that is repeated often enough to become automatic and almost effortless

Learning Theory Methods Positive reinforcement is what most people think of when they hear the

word "reward". This type of situation occurs when you provide a desired thing. Your child gets straight "A"s on her report card, and as a reward, you take her out for ice cream.

Positive punishment is the classical kind of punishment that occurs when an aversive event follows the behavior. If you irritate a dog by yanking on his ears, and it bites you, you will be less likely to yank on the dog's ears in the future. Similarly, if you drive faster than the speed limit and get a hefty ticket, you will be less likely (in theory) to speed in the future.

Negative reinforcement occurs when you take away an aversive thing. A great example is built into our cars: the annoying buzzer or chime stops when you fasten your seat belt.

Negative punishment occurs when you take away a desired thing. Your child acts up while watching a favorite TV show, and as punishment, you turn the TV off.

Changing Behaviors Positive Reinforcement - Rewarding individually and

celebrating collectively positive “green” actions Positive Punishment - Demonstrating the

consequences of poor “green” habits, i.e. establishing social expectations

Negative Reinforcement – gentle reminders, shared observations, team/buddy approach to calling out bad habits

Negative Punishment – take away the temptations of poor green habits, or make them inconvenient

Create a Brand Make “Green” practices part of the organizational

culture Communicate and hold forums, focus groups

sessions, brain storm for ideas Take an ethical stand on the social responsibility

aspect Develop statistics to make your argument Don’t forget all aspects of green including health,

safety and cost

What Are the Barriers? The way we’ve always done it! (at all levels) Motivation/Incentives (why should I?) Infrastructure can’t support Can’t do one, why do all? Nothing to compare to Let the experts figure it out Start-up capital

Behavior Changing Myths Myth: Crisis is a powerful impetus for change Reality: Ninety percent of patients who've had coronary bypasses don't sustain changes in

the unhealthy lifestyles that worsen their severe heart disease and greatly threaten their lives.

Myth: Change is motivated by fear Reality: It's too easy for people to go into denial of the bad things that might happen to

them. Compelling, positive visions of the future are a much stronger inspiration for change. Myth: The facts will set us free Reality: Our thinking is guided by narratives, not facts. When a fact doesn't fit our

conceptual "frames" -- the metaphors we use to make sense of the world -- we reject it. Also, change is inspired best by emotional appeals rather than factual statements.

Myth: Small, gradual changes are always easier to make and sustain Reality: Radical, sweeping changes are often easier because they quickly yield benefits. Myth: We can't change because our brains become "hardwired" early in life Reality: Our brains have extraordinary "plasticity," meaning that we can continue learning

complex new things throughout our lives -- assuming we remain truly active and engaged.

References Methods for Changing Behavior and Thoughts

Mark Dombeck, Ph.D. and Jolyn Wells-Moran, Ph.D. Five Myths About Changing Behavior, Alan

Deutschman www.greenatworkmag.com www.carbonfootprint.com www.ivillage.com/green www.payitgreen.org