Examples
ReCAP staff received the standard Green Communities training program which identified the common motivators relevant to the actions they were promoting. For example, they learned that cost and comfort were two of the key motivators influencing people to undertake home energy audits.
Green$aver found that the two main motivators for requesting a home energy audit were comfort and cost savings.
HEADSTARTs public participation workshops began by asking participants to identify the transport issues most important to them. This information was tracked in two ways: (1) by total number of participants mentioning each issue (across all workshops), and (2) by the number of workshops at which each issue had been mentioned.
Tip: Like barriers, motivators can be quite specific to a given action and to a given target audience.
Examples
Waterloo's Pesticide Action Group spent several years writing letters and articles for local news organizations about the health risks associated with pesticide use.
Two different signs were used at Marley Station Mall to encourage shoppers to take the stairs. One featured a caricature of a heart at the top of a flight of stairs and the statement "Your heart needs exercise, use the stairs." The other featured a caricature of a woman at the top of a flight of stairs with a thin waistline, wearing pants that had become too large. The caption on the sign read, "Improve your waistline, use the stairs."
AT&T developed its communications materials to address the key motivators and barriers identified through annual employee surveys.
One year, The Clean Air Commute used an ASFX E8 license plate as a backdrop for its press conference, to highlight the link to air quality.
Tip: With face-to-face approaches you can look for clues and ask questions that identify the most important motivators for each person you contact. Train your program implementers to do this.
Tip: Use the Tool Vivid, Personalized Communication
Your Program
List the motivators identified in step 1. How can you link the desired actions to each?
Motivator 1:
How to link to it:
Motivator 2:
How to link to it:
Motivator 3:
How to link to it:
Other Motivators:
How to link to them:
Examples
One year, The Clean Air Commute used an ASFX E8 license plate as a backdrop for its press conference, to highlight the link to air quality.
Waterloo's Plant Health Care Program focused on reducing pesticides associated with landscaping / gardening activities.
Many waste reduction programs have successfully promoted recycling by making it easy to put recyclables at the curb for collection at the same time as garbage. In addition, Quinte Regional Recycling linked composting with recycling by putting decals on people's Blue Boxes that said: "We compost too."
Le Club Millezinc created a humorous video that students presented to other students, which included examples of local pollution problems.
Your Program
What action are you trying to promote?
List people`s common activities related to the desired action. Can you make a link?
Activity 1:
Link:
Activity 2:
Link:
Activity 3:
Link:
List current "hot issues" in your community and how you might be able to make a link.
Issue 1:
Link:
Issue 2:
Link:
Issue 3:
Link:
Examples
In The Clean Air Commute pilot, letters signed by a company executive were distributed, along with a questionnaire, to employees who had participated in the past. The letters commended the employees for what they had already done and informed them that they had a further opportunity to participate through the pilot. The questionnaire further recognized and built on the employees' past actions and ended with a request for them to agree to participate in the three-month pilot.
ReCAP's Home Advisors commended householders on existing conservation related efforts, including their initiative in booking the home visit.
Ottawas Commuter Challenge recognized the past and current efforts of active commuters, and encouraged those people to act as role models to their coworkers, neighbours, family, and friends.
Tip: Even such actions as keeping past utility records, reading most of the way through a brochure, or choosing to have a home visit can be highlighted so people see themselves as already concerned and involved.
Your Program
What related actions will people have likely taken by the time you visit them or get your message to them?
Examples
Waterloo's Plant Health Care Program set up a task force of 19 citizens from two broad groups: those who lobbied for the elimination of pesticide use and those who advocated for the controlled use of pesticides. This group met 8 times, conducted 3 public meetings, heard 11 private citizens delegations and received 27 written submissions.
The Montreal 2000 Electric Vehicle Project engaged participating fleet managers in testing out the new vehicles themselves.
Participants in The Clean Air Commute carried out clean commuting practices for a day.
Pacific Gas and Electric trained home assessors to appeal to concerns about heat loss, energy costs and comfort, as follows:
You know, if you were to add up all the cracks around these doors here, you'd have the equivalent of a hole the size of a football in your living room wall. Think for a moment about all the heat that would escape from a hole that size. That's why I recommend you install weather-stripping. And your attic totally lacks insulation. We professionals call that a naked attic. It's as if your home is facing winter not just without an overcoat, but without any clothing at all.
Your Program
What are some of the ways you can do this?
Examples
In The Clean Air Commute pilot, a questionnaire was used to request participation in a three-month follow-up program.
ReCAP asked residents to commit orally to carrying out the list of repair/retrofit priorities each resident had helped prepare.
Roach Coach participants were asked to make a verbal commitment to complete all aspects of the eight-month project.
In Iowa City participants who were told that their names would be published reduced their natural gas and electricity usage by 10 percent to 20 percent. No significant reduction occurred when participants were assured of anonymity.
Examples
At the end of each presentation, AIDS peer educators told students where they could obtain further counseling on sexuality, and encouraged them to discuss the presentation with their parents.
The ABC / Count Me In! programs provided group feedback to each participant by e-mail, along with links to further information and resources.
Those employees participating in The Clean Air Commute pilot, who had undertaken an activity that they were already accustomed to doing, were asked to commit to an additional activity for the three-month period. Those who had undertaken a new activity were asked if they would be willing to extend this behavior for the same period.
The Environment Network pilot-tested the use of starter kits designed to reduce the use of household hazardous wastes (HHW) and to promote sustainable landscaping methods. Participants, who had all previously received home visits, were provided with the kits along with a second 10-minute home visit in which the contents and use of the kits were explained.
Your Program
What are some of the ways you can do this?
Examples
Residents of Claremont who recycled were recruited to help their neighbours learn to recycle.
ReCAP asked those who had had a home visit to tell others about it.
Global Action Plan's EcoTeam members took turns facilitating the meetings, with support from a trained volunteer coach who had already been through the program. At the end of their program, they were asked to invite people to an introduction event.
Ottawas Commuter Challenge recognized the past and current efforts of active commuters, and encouraged those people to act as role models to their coworkers, neighbours, family, and friends. For example, participants were encouraged to "bike or bus with a buddy" so that people who were trying a different mode of transportation that week felt safer and more at ease.
