Jean Waters
Program Services Manager, Nebraska Business Development Center
- 6708 Pine Street
- Omaha
- United States
Topics
6 Comments
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Re: Looking for Ideas and Research on Native Islander Attitudes Towards Plastic Bag Ban and Other Pro Environmental Behaviors.
2013-05-16 09:48:51 UTC
Tina, I shared your post with my son, who is studying Park Management and Conservation at Kansas State University. Specifically, he is learning to be a park "interpreter". I try to get people to change behavior to save energy and prevent pollution, he tries to get people to relate to the environment, so they'll appreciate it and want to conserve it. Here is his suggestion:
You should seriously tell her to look up interpretation and Tilden's principles. You have to relate to the audience and she knows the audience very well. If they value family present the family aspects of nature and show how those are impacted by trash and plastic bags. Present plastic bags as a negative toward the intangible of family. The biggest thing is that you have to relate to your audience whatever it is and to do that you have to know your audience. You can also relate to intangibles everyone can relate to like life and death or prosperity.
This corresponds to behavior change research that shows cognitive dissonance is the most effective mechanism to change behavior. So, if you can show something they value (family, eco-tourism, whatever it is) is negatively impacted by plastic bag use and trash, you might get more people to change.
I also think Ruben Anderson's idea to get famous island personalities involved is a great idea if you can do it. In the words of one of our marketing professors where I work (University of Nebraska at Omaha), we need to make these things easy, fun, and popular.
Best regards,
Jean Waters
Jean Waters
Energy and Environmental Engineer
Nebraska Business Development Center
United States
www.nbdc.unomaha.edu/energy -
Re: Energy at Home
2011-06-30 10:47:58 UTC
Check out the study from the US Department of Energy Lawrence Berkely Lab, Driving Demand for Home Energy Improvements. It's a study of several different programs instituted across the US to get consumers to reduce their energy usage. It is comprehensive and focuses on what works. Great resource.
The webpage is http://drivingdemand.lbl.gov/
Jean Waters
Energy and Environmental Engineer
Nebraska Business Development Center
United States
www.nbdc.unomaha.edu/energy -
Re: Meaningful Nature Experiences: A Catalyst for Fostering Sustainable Behaviour?
2011-03-04 11:34:42 UTC
Matthew, I saw a presentation by some folks at Oberlin college where they found that the "connectedness to nature" is important in getting students to reduce electricity usage. You can see their very brief slides at http://www.stanford.edu/group/peec/cgi-bin/docs/events/2010/becc/presentations/2C_JohnPetersen.pdf You would need to contact them for more information. I think they have (at least part of) what you're looking for.
Jean Waters
Energy and Environmental Engineer
Nebraska Business Development Center
United States
www.nbdc.unomaha.edu/energy -
Re: Promoting Community Watershed Awareness
2011-03-03 09:39:35 UTC
Angie, I appreciate your post and the way you breakdown the time and what you want people to do. We are involved in a campaign to reduce ozone in our city and you provide a good reminder to focus on a few behaviors and keep it simple. I would also really like to help people have the connection with their evironment, though. I'm wondering about a cartoon air guy or animal to help people make the connection. We would promote Ollie Ozone as bad or Gary Goodair as good or something along those lines. Then we could show behaviors we want from Gary and hopefully make the connection to air quality. Obviously this would take quite a bit of marketing. Have you considered anything like this?
Jean Waters
Energy and Environmental Engineer
Nebraska Business Development Center
United States
www.nbdc.unomaha.edu/energy -
Re: Unplugging Charged Devices
2009-11-19 09:34:28 UTC
There are "smart strips" people can use, http://www.smarthomeusa.com/ShopByManufacturer/Bits-Ltd./Item/LCG4/
The url I provided shows one kind, which happens to include a surge protector. You plug your main piece of equipment into the controlling plug. Plug all periferials into the other plugs. When the main piece of equipment is turned off, everything else shuts off, too. We have used this for our TV, with the sound system, VCR, and DVD - it has the added advantage that when the TV is turned off, you don't have to get the other remotes out and turn everything else off! Also, use with the computer, when the laptop is shut down, it shuts off power to the modem, router, printer, etc.
We have power strips on lots of devices but still leave the microwave plugged in all the time. (gotta have that clock!)
Cheers,
Jean Waters
Jean Waters
Program Coordinator
Pollution Prevention Resource Information Center
United States
p2rx.org -
Re: Species at Risk Education Programs
2009-11-09 11:24:16 UTC
Laura, There is a Project WET - Worldwide Water Education for Teachers and they have a Canadian presence, http://projectwet.org/where-we-are/location/canada/
My son helped teach this workshop to two groups this year. It sounds like it's more on water basics rather than species at risk but perhaps they're working on something you could use.
Jean Waters
Program Coordinator
Pollution Prevention Resource Information Center
Canada
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