Mapping the Big Green Challenge - The Skills & Learning ...

Mapping the Big Green Challenge 149thought not to be interested in earnest green rhetoric (and as such were ‘hard to reach’) but couldbe engaged by competition and prizes. The proposal included the measurement of the footprint of agroup of friends, tailored email advice on reductions, measurement at the end of the period and areward for the group making the greatest reduction. It is the way this proposal builds on existingnetwork relationships that makes it a strong example of the use of this 3 rd sector capability anddistinct from those proposing to set up a website with advice on very similar matters but with noclear strategy of how to engage an audience for their message.8.3 Increasing the Visibility of Personal BehaviourA Community Commitment to Low Carbon Living8.3.1 Distinctive Innovative CapabilityIf one makes a decision to do something about behaviour which is primarily in the private spherethen, however much one intends to keep it, it is easy for that resolve to slip without anyone holdingyou to account. In contrast being a member of a 3 rd sector group that is formed on the basis of ashared commitment or set of values means there is a ‘public’ context where that pledge can be heldto account. Thus, in contrast to the community action described in 8.1 above, this is an approachthat is strongly directed at maintaining behaviour. In broader terms it can be seen as theunderpinning of both religious (and other ‘intentional’) communities that agree to live their lives inline with certain principles and practices and of, say, alcoholics anonymous where members meettogether to reinforce each others’ commitment.In contrast to the previous two capabilities, this is not built on a community already in existence as aresult of location or interest. Instead it is a new association based on strong ties deriving fromshared norms or values. Public campaigns have attempted to use this approach by getting people tosign up to pledges. However the advantage the 3 rd sector group has here is that the commitment istied in to specific personal relationships and there is scrutiny over members’ adherence to thecommitment that they have made. In this and other ways the 3 rd sector group is likely to be able togive a stronger sense of being part of some collective commitment. They may also be able to engagenovel forms of ‘rewards’ (and possibly punishments) to sustain this commitment.8.3.2 Contribution to Low Carbon GoalsAs the literature on changing behaviours reviewed in Chapter 2 made clear, one of the problemsthat needs to be addressed is habitual behaviour. Much of what we do is not consciously thoughtthrough on each occasion but rather follows embedded practices. The significance of this is thateven when people fully intend to change their behaviour it is very easy for them to fail to do this inpractice or to lapse back into earlier habits after a short period. This problem is exacerbated inrelation to low carbon goals because much of the habitual behaviour being targeted (e.g. leavingequipment on standby) is located within the home and thus not subject to wider scrutiny. Publiccampaigns have tried in general ways to raise the profile of these issues and make them more salient(by, for example, stressing the financial savings to be made). There are also technical devices, suchas meters showing real time energy use, which try to make the financial consequence of the decisionto leave on, or switch off, equipment more visible on an on-going basis. In addition, businesses, andindeed community groups, have been encouraged to make public commitments to address suchissues in their own practice.Appleby Ltd July 2009