Conservation and Sustainable Use of the Biosphere - WBGU

Environmental education and environmental learning I 2.5
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these are normative and reinforcing.The attention of
consumers may often be drawn to new options for
action by written information and publicity, but crucial
in actually forcing the decision to act in a particular
way are often conversations with neighbours,
friends, club associates or relatives. Their function as
multipliers must therefore be taken into consideration
(Prose, 1997). Possible measures to promote positive
attitudes towards the preservation of the biosphere
are:
• Persuasion. Persons that are credible and in trust
(neighbours, friends, family, etc) act as multipliers,
communicate the issue wherever possible personally
and try to convince their contact person.
• Model behaviour. In (mass)media, on advertising
posters, in brochures, etc the desired actions are
lived out and demonstrated by model persons.
Models can be fictional or real persons and also,
for certain groups, comic figures.
• Goals. Persons or institutions (supermarkets,
schools, canteens, etc) are asked to volunteer for a
particular goal (eg 30 per cent of required food
covered by organic products) that they hope to
achieve.The goal must be neither too high nor too
low to prevent the volunteers from giving up to
soon because it is too much for them or they reach
the goal too quickly. It is important to monitor the
achievement of the goal.
• Self-commitment. This method can be linked
closely with the goal-setting method. Persons or
institutions commit voluntarily to achieving a certain
goal and generally feel bound by the promise.
It is most effective when the commitment is made
publicly. Here, too, monitoring of actual progress
is crucial.
Perception of products
The attractiveness of organic products depends heavily
on the everyday knowledge and convictions of
potential consumers regarding the characteristics of
these products. Relevant features whose perception
and positive evaluation should be promoted by
means of relevant public representation (promotion):
taste, health compatibility, durability, appearance,
accessibility, price, selection or positive or negative
connotations that are associated with the origin
of the products.
Measures to promote positive perception of the
products are:
• Publicity. The relevant positive characteristics of
the products are disseminated by mass communication
(eg posters, ads), selective communication
(radio and television features) or personal communication
(eg passing on leaflets, conversations
with neighbours, other multipliers).
• Sales presentation.An attractive design of the presentation
area in the shops (light, roomy, clean,
backgrounds, clear and well ordered, etc) underlines
the attractiveness of the products.
• The strategies under model behaviour, targeted
information and persuasion are also relevant.
Knowledge about products
The perception of organic products is closely linked
to knowledge about them and about conventionally
produced foods. And it is only when a person knows
something about the ecological background to food
production, its causes, consequences and side effects
that they are in a position to make conscious consumer
decisions. Knowledge about where to obtain
organic products is also an important precondition.
Furthermore, it is crucial for consumers to know how
to recognize the products. Measures to increase
knowledge about organic products are:
• Communicating knowledge. Use of all available
communication channels (mass communication,
selective and personal communication) to present
the relevant contexts and evaluations in a way that
is generally understood and has a local angle. The
relevance to a person’s own opportunities for
action must be clearly recognizable. Here, too, target-group
specific differences should be
respected.
• Visits. Interested persons should have the opportunity
to get to know the relevant producers and
their production methods. In addition to ‘open
days’, the production background can also be presented
for example by presenting videos at the
points of sale. The linkage to the landscape and
nature of the region should be made clear.
Incentives to act
The incentive for the consumption of organic products
must be clearly visible in comparison to traditional
products. Incentives are closely linked to how
the goods are perceived. Setting incentives via pricing
can be achieved through targeted government
support for organic farming as is for example currently
the case in the EU-compatible Austrian programme
to promote farming that is environmentally
sound, extensive and conserves natural habitats
(ÖPUL). Incentives to act can also be created via
non-material values such as taking responsibility for
intact nature, more healthy and tasty eating habits, a
contribution to maintaining regional jobs, etc. Here,
the knowledge of which product features could serve
as incentives to which target groups is a key prerequisite.
Possible measures to increase the incentive
to consume organic products:
• Rewards. The consumers of organic products are
‘compensated’ for their decision with material or