Can Councils Lead Behaviour Change?

Can Councils lead Behaviour Change?

Warren Hatter Local Improvement Advisor

Climate & Behaviour Change Advisor to West Sussex County Council

warren@rippleprd.co.uk 07971 413164

Can Councils lead Behaviour Change?

Warren Hatter Local Improvement Advisor

Climate & Behaviour Change Advisor to West Sussex County Council

warren@rippleprd.co.uk 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