Psychological insights
Koos & partners have done a great lot of qualitative research all around the world to find out what sustainability means in the mind of the consumers. We found some very interesting dynamics behind the motivations of people to become sustainable. And motivations to avoid sustainability. Enjoy my little synopsis!
Sustainability in the mind of the consumer
We all know that our earth is slowly becoming a place less suitable for humans to live. Or at least not in the same way as we are used to. We all know we have to change our behaviour. But when confronted, almost no one is even considering taking a step back.
“I just had to buy that new plasma television…”, “No one wants to live in a cave!” and “Who is going to bring the kids to school?” are all heard often during interviews we’ve conducted.
The thought of our unsustainable existence scares many people into ignoring the problem and makes them pretend there is nothing they can do about it. And even worse: Leaving a footprint is actually fun! Imagine Vincent van Gogh during his last breaths – scraping the paint of his canvasses to put it back into the tubes… We want to know that we are alive. We want others to know we were here. Revving our Porsches at the traffic light, switching on the lights when we come home. Spraying your tag on a wall. It feels good leaving your mark.
So – are we doomed?
The answer is no. There can be a bright future. Or at least – a world as it exists today. But we need to change our way of consumption. There is simply a tension in life between not getting too involved in the issue of sustainability and go on as if it’s no big deal, versus the desire to get involved and tackle one’s unsustainable existence.
On one hand people posses a natural tendency to follow the path of least resistance. Doing what you’ve always done and the way you’ve always done it is easiest, particularly in an increasingly hectic life.
Taking a ‘smarter approach’ (or frugality, as some might call it) takes effort and determination. And some times even money or a detour. So why do some people do take the detour? And why do some people do put in the extra effort? Because the ‘smarter approach’ makes us feel good about ourselves! We experience psychological benefits in the shape of guilt relief and happiness. And sometimes we even experience monetary benefits, in the shape of a lower gas or electricity bill. We feel smart, savvy, a wily fox! And when this happens we become determined to change a typical behaviour/habit for the better. At the extreme, people will start to think deeply and continuously about their actions and the results.
This is the path we all need to go. We need to experience the joy of change. We need to realize that being green is actually fun! We need to know that after we’ve put in that little effort, we’ll go downhill again!
How we should drive the change
How can we let all people put in that tiny extra bit of effort?
Only a small sample of the population tends to lead the way. The majority is simply programmed to follow. In this case most of our actions are motivated by one’s desire to fit in with the group and with cultural norms. We want to be part of the herd – at all cost. Running ahead of our friends by becoming ‘super sustainable’ is scary as well. This is nicely illustrated by a quote from an interview; “One of my best friends suddenly became a veganist and sold her car… I’ve never seen her since…”
The need for shepherds
And how can we change the direction of the herd? We need education. We need to see that we don’t have to take a step backwards. We need to see that green is good, green is fun. And we need to know that we are not alone. We’re together. We need to know we have commitment from everyone. And one of the most easy and effective ways to do so are through governments.
That’s how you get the herd moving…
“Why do I recycle glass? Well, you have too I suppose… Everyone is doing it…”
NB: Want to know more about sustainability and how it effects your business and customer? Want to know how you can change your company to offer more sustainable brands, products & services? Give us a buzz!
