Fostering Sustainable Behavior
An Introduction to Community-Based Social Marketing Third Edition
By: Doug McKenzie-Mohr
Published: February 1, 2011
Format: Paperback, 192 pages
ISBN-10: 0865716420
ISBN-13: 978-0865716421
Publisher: New Society Publishers
"Behavior change is the cornerstone of sustainability", writes award-winning environmental psychologist and specialist in sustainable behavior, Doug McKenzie-Mohr, in his seminal and action oriented book Fostering Sustainable Behavior: An Introduction to Community-Based Social Marketing Third Edition. The author describes a revolutionary system for designing and implementing effective and behavior changing environmental programs.
Doug McKenzie-Mohr recognizes that behavioral changes truly matter in sustainable environmental systems applications. The change in actions and behavior not only have an impact on the environment, but they also affect how the people taking the actions view themselves. As the author points out, individuals engaging in environmental activities see themselves as the type of people who care about pollution, climate change, deforestation, and other environmental issues. As a result, those same people will be much more likely to support environmental protection policies. For Doug McKenzie-Mohr, action is required to cause behavioral change. Education, and reading brochures won't create the internalized attitude that supports sustainability. Only a more active approach will be effective in generating long term changes of habits and attitudes.
Doug McKenzie-Mohr (photo left) understands that economic incentives alone are not enough to facilitate changes in sustainable behavior. Since the monetary incentive fails to reach the person on a deeper level, the full impact of the program will be less than expected by planners. For the author, the developers of a sustainable environmental policy must look past economics and take a more holistic approach to the system. Doug McKenzie-Mohr proposes a community -based social marketing approach to replace informational campaigns and economic incentives. The author shares how to build support for a community-based program, and how to utilize a multi-disciplinary concept to involve the entire community and all facets of the population and their activities and goals. To achieve success, the author presents a plan for total involvement, complete with activities large and small; and both personal and community wide.
For me, the power of the book is how Doug McKenzie-Mohr combines theory and practical techniques into a holistic system of behavioral change. Not only does the author provide a step by step process for designing and implementing a system successfully, but also includes tips and advice for developing and enhancing the changes made within the individuals themselves. These personal changes are then transferred and and multiplied into support for the efforts on behalf of the entire community. The book is nothing short of a manual for operating a community-based social marketing system. The author shares ideas both large and small, and provides the tools and techniques for putting those ideas into practice.
Doug McKenzie-Mohr goes far beyond economics, informational and educational programs, and other traditional approaches to environmental sustainability, making this book the go to guide for policy makers everywhere. Filled with checklists, take away hints and tips, and important case studies, the book is useful to both an individual, a community, or even a larger political organization. The book is essential reading for everyone from individuals, to community leaders, to government officials. There is powerful information for removing barriers to buy in, or to taking action, that help to keep the system on track to ensure the desired change in behavior and community culture.
I highly recommend the definitive and must read book Fostering Sustainable Behavior: An Introduction to Community-Based Social Marketing Third Edition by Doug McKenzie-Mohr, to anyone serious about creating a sustainable environment policy or plan, and for implementing a system of community-based social marketing. This book will be read over and over again, and makes the ideal textbook for developing and enriching behavioral change regarding sustainability and the environment.
Read the landmark and now classic guide Fostering Sustainable Behavior: An Introduction to Community-Based Social Marketing Third Edition by Doug McKenzie-Mohr, and discover some fresh thinking, and a community based approach to sustainable development. This book provides the framework to transform people's behavior and their lives as they change their behavior and attitudes toward the environment and sustainability.
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