Hi all, Ocean Legacy is a Canadian-based, international non-profit that is dedicated to ending ocean plastic pollution around the world. One of the ways that they do this is through education. They have what is called an EPIC Academy, which is a free online educational curriculum that is suitable for learners aged 14 years and up. The curriculum touches on a number of topics, such as: - The basics about plastic- How plastics travel to the ocean- Why is there so much plastic?- Impacts of ocean plastic pollution- Encouraging behavior change to help prevent and clean up ocean plastic There are two levels, beginner and advanced, and many lessons, each one taking about 45-60 minutes to complete. These lessons are available in English, French, and Spanish, and there is no time limit. Your progress is autosaved, so you can pick up where you left off at any time. I completed lessons 1 and 7 to check for quality, and I can assure you that they are interactive, interesting, and well done. To access the curriculum, you need only register with them. Registration and login processes are a bit tricky, but if you can get past that, the content is well worth it. Lesson 7 discusses the Habit Loop, which is a cycle of events that explains how habits form.
The Habit Loop starts with a cue, which is information that enters our brain indicating that we have an opportunity to earn a reward. The cue triggers a craving in our body. A response is then elicited from the craving, offering an incentive of a reward. Finally, the reward is the pleasure that comes from a chemical reaction in the brain that is a response to the craving. The cycle continues as ongoing cues enter our brain from the surrounding environment. The Habit Loop is explained further in the context of a case study involving Manuel & Moe, two colleagues who are working in a high-stress environment and discover a coffee stand a short walk away from their office building. They find that the walk, the brief chat, and the coffee are energizing to them and help get them through the rest of their workday. Here is what the Habit Loop looks like for them: Cue – Fast-paced work environment with a lot of stressCraving – Relieve stress and increase energyResponse – Visit local coffee stand and buy a cup of coffeeReward – Feel relief and increased energy. Associate relief with visit to coffee stand
The problem in this scenario is that Manuel & Moe are contributing to waste in the environment by purchasing coffee in disposable coffee cups. They want to bring reusable mugs, but they often forget, and, in the moment, their desire to relieve stress wins out over environmental considerations. What should they do to modify the Habit Loop? In CBSM terminology, they need a prompt to bring a reusable mug so that it too becomes a part of the Habit Loop. What Manuel & Moe do is set an alarm on their phone every night to remind them to pack a reusable mug in the bag they carry to work. They also talk to the vendor, who agrees to give them a 10 percent discount on their daily coffee purchase when they bring a reusable mug. Consciously and intentionally adding cues, or prompts, at the beginning of the Habit Loop helps Manuel & Moe to develop a new habit that is also good for the environment. To find out more about Ocean Legacy’s EPIC Academy and/or to register, click here.
The Habit Loop starts with a cue, which is information that enters our brain indicating that we have an opportunity to earn a reward. The cue triggers a craving in our body. A response is then elicited from the craving, offering an incentive of a reward. Finally, the reward is the pleasure that comes from a chemical reaction in the brain that is a response to the craving. The cycle continues as ongoing cues enter our brain from the surrounding environment. The Habit Loop is explained further in the context of a case study involving Manuel & Moe, two colleagues who are working in a high-stress environment and discover a coffee stand a short walk away from their office building. They find that the walk, the brief chat, and the coffee are energizing to them and help get them through the rest of their workday. Here is what the Habit Loop looks like for them: Cue – Fast-paced work environment with a lot of stressCraving – Relieve stress and increase energyResponse – Visit local coffee stand and buy a cup of coffeeReward – Feel relief and increased energy. Associate relief with visit to coffee stand
The problem in this scenario is that Manuel & Moe are contributing to waste in the environment by purchasing coffee in disposable coffee cups. They want to bring reusable mugs, but they often forget, and, in the moment, their desire to relieve stress wins out over environmental considerations. What should they do to modify the Habit Loop? In CBSM terminology, they need a prompt to bring a reusable mug so that it too becomes a part of the Habit Loop. What Manuel & Moe do is set an alarm on their phone every night to remind them to pack a reusable mug in the bag they carry to work. They also talk to the vendor, who agrees to give them a 10 percent discount on their daily coffee purchase when they bring a reusable mug. Consciously and intentionally adding cues, or prompts, at the beginning of the Habit Loop helps Manuel & Moe to develop a new habit that is also good for the environment. To find out more about Ocean Legacy’s EPIC Academy and/or to register, click here.
