Hi,
I am developing a one-on-one sustainability education program for patients in our clinic, which is in the process of getting LEED-EB certification.
We already have extensive counseling/conversation/advocacy/education interactions with our patients and our patient advocates are skilled at non-judgemental listening and teaching in one-on-one situations.
We have chosen recycling as the point of entry in the this conversation, because it is a demonstrable action we can model in the clinic and help people learn the why and how to take it home with them. The person-to-person education is voluntary (patient advocates wear buttons with our program slogan and "ask me how" so only "teach" those who ask) and will be supported by an attractive adn education recycling station and relevant signage about recycling and all of the clinic's other green efforts.
I have tried to use CBSM principles in the design of this. I did a patient survey to identify perceived barriers & benefits and I am trying really hard to keep our message focused and actionable.
One of the great challenges is that a large portion of our patient base is low-income, and they have enough personal survival issues to worry about without taking on the environment. So we want to make this a postiive for them - sustainability a empowerment, as the first step to environmental justice.
My question is two-fold: who has experience with one-on-one education like this, and who has expereince pitching sustainability to low-income audiences? Any advice or resources.
We are starting our pilot prgram soon, but will be doing tons of tweaking.
Thanks,
Toni
Toni Thayer
Development Associate
Preterm
United States
One-on-One Programs with Low-Income Audiences
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Hi Toni,
Just a wild suggestion, but how about narrowing the focus even more, and talking about recycling of food? Recycling of food is about growing compost and then using it to grow more food.Growing food such as lettuce and herbs in pots is easy and can be done with very little start up cost, using many recycled objects. You can grow parsley in a cut off milk container. You dont even need much to get a small compost system going, and again can used recycled materials to get it going. As long as you have a sunny window ledge, you can grow food. Everyone eats, so this approach should have wide appeal, and the health benefits associated with growing things is well documented.
I would love to hear how you go if you do decide to go down this path!
Regards,
Andrea
Andrea Koch
Sustainability Consultant
Australia
Hi Toni,
Since it sounds like you are just beginning this one-on-one approach, I might suggest that you actually start by choosing your targeted behavior based on your surveying research, as opposed to trying to fit your message around the chosen behavior.
I understand your reasoning for choosing recycling: "because it is a demonstrable action we can model in the clinic and help people learn the why and how to take it home with them." Makes sense. But I wonder if it makes sense to start with a behavior that specifically addresses the perceived barriers your research turned up.
The most obvious example I can think of is home energy efficiencies, as this directly addresses issues of cost. Not only are the steps to action demonstrable (how to check for air leaks, how to insulate a water heater, etc., but it directly brings utility costs down for the user. You might even find ways to tailor it to renters, if you have a substantial number of those in your group, to cover things like how to communicate with one's landlord, etc.
That, to my mind, would give you a much higher chance of initial success, and then perhaps allow you to expand into other actions, like recycling, that may not directly address their specific barrier concerns (I'm assuming, of course, that "high cost" is one of those barriers).
You might also reach out to an organization called Green For All. They're focused on green job creation, but might have some good input regarding the low-income audience aspect: http://www.greenforall.org/what-we-do
Best,
Jess
Jess Sand
Owner
Roughstock Studios
United States
http://www.roughstockstudios.com