Fostering Sustainable Behavior

October 07, 2009

Savannah, GA

The cornerstone of sustainability is behavior change. Sustainability requires individuals and businesses to act (e.g., reduce waste, increase water and energy efficiency, and prevent pollution). To date, most programs to achieve these changes have relied upon disseminating information. Research demonstrates, however, that simply providing information has little or no effect on what people or businesses do. But if not ads, brochures or booklets, then what?

Over the last decade a new approach, community based social marketing, has emerged as an effective alternative for promoting sustainable behavior. This fall, a one-day introductory workshop
and a one-day advanced workshop will be held in Savannah, GA, with the founder of community-based social marketing, Dr. Doug McKenzie-Mohr.

The one-day introductory workshop provides a comprehensive introduction to community- based social marketing and how it is being applied throughout the world to foster sustainable
behavior. Those who attend the introductory workshop will learn the five steps of community-based social marketing (selecting behaviors, identifying barriers, developing strategies, conducting a pilot, and broad scale implementation) and be exposed to numerous case studies illustrating its use.

The one-day advanced workshop builds on knowledge gained from the introductory workshop or Dr. McKenzie-Mohr’s book, Fostering Sustainable Behavior. As such, it is expected that anyone attending this workshop has read the book or attended
the introductory workshop. The advanced workshop provides an in-depth exposure to community- based social marketing and provides participants with the knowledge they need to design
and evaluate their own community-based social marketing programs. Participants will have extensive opportunity to discuss the application of community-based social marketing to actual programs. To ensure ample opportunity for discussion, this workshop will be limited to 75 participants.

If you design or fund programs to encourage individuals or businesses to engage in behaviors beneficial to a sustainable future (such as energy and water efficiency, waste reduction,
watershed protection, transportation, etc.), this workshop will have relevance for you.