Project Title: Active Citizenship for youths by enhancing LIFECOMP competencies through innovative teaching tools and techniques Project Number: 2021-1-ES02-KA220-YOU-000028702 MODULE N3: NECESSARY BEHAVIOURAL CHANGES, CULTURAL AND HUMAN VALUES, CONSUMPTION HABITS AND LIFESTYLES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT “To change any behaviour we have to slow down and act intentionally rather than from habit and impulse.” ― Henna Inam Prepared by
2 Glossary Key Word Description Anthropocene is an unofficial unit of geologic time, used to describe the most recent period in Earth’s history when human activity started to have a significant impact on the planet’s climate and ecosystems. Consumerism Consumerism is the propensity to consume and keep consuming. It is the drive to buy and own more stuff, and to define one's identity through what they own SDGs Also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. Circular economy The circular economy is a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible. In this way, the life cycle of products is extended. Greenhouse gases effect The greenhouse effect is a process that occurs when gases in Earth's atmosphere trap the Sun's heat. This process makes Earth much warmer than it would be without an atmosphere. Human activities are changing Earth's natural greenhouse effect. Burning fossil fuels like coal and oil puts more carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. Human activities In this context we talk about Human activity referring at the impact generating by human being in the physical environment in many ways: overpopulation, pollution, burning fossil fuels, and deforestation. Changes like these have triggered climate change, soil erosion, poor air quality, and undrinkable water. Sustainable behaviour Sustainable behaviour is the set of deliberate and effective actions that result in the conservation of natural and social resources Sustainable lifestyle The United Nations Environment Programme defines sustainable living as “understanding how our lifestyle choices impact the world around us and finding ways for everyone to live better and lighter.” Behavioural change Behavioural change implies long term alteration between habits and behaviours. Behaviour change can refer to any transformation or modification of human behavior. Sustainable development A way to develop the world and society without damaging or affecting the environment
3 INTRODUCTION This Module addresses several important elements of life that contribute to sustainable development. These factors are cultural and human values, consumption habits, lifestyles and behavioural changes. The module alludes to the lack of knowledge of intervention tools that can be used for contributing to sustainable development, but also to activities that are imperative for the promotion of behavioural change and consumption habits. Youths’ behaviour consumption habits largely affect sustainable development and their comprehension of these factors is fundamental. Therefore, this module is structured in such a way so as to take you on a passage from learning about the impact of human activity on earth to how cultures, lifestyles and human activity affect sustainable development. Learning Outcomes: Knowledge After the completion of this module, you will: ü Be aware of the impact that human activity has on the planet ü Be familiar with the terms of sustainable behaviour and sustainable lifestyle ü Identify the factors that affect human behaviour ü Identify specific intervention tools on case scenarios about sustainable development Skills After the completion of this module, you will be able to: ü Be able to measure the damage that their lifestyle cause to the planet Competences After the completion of this module, you will be competent to: ü Be competent to recognize how they can contribute to sustainable development through changing their habits, behaviours and lifestyles ü Be competent to pass on their peers the need to adopt more sustainable lifestyles
4 LEARNING UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE IMPACT OF HUMAN ACTIVITY ON EARTH Climate changes have always been, throughout the history of the planet, but the climate warming we have been witnessing for about 150 years is anomalous because it is triggered by humans and their activities. It is called the anthropogenic greenhouse effect and is in addition to the natural greenhouse effect. With the industrial revolution, humans suddenly spilled millions of tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, bringing the amount of Co2 in the atmosphere to double the lows of the last 700,000 years. For about 15 years, data produced by thousands of scientists around the world, analysed and systematized by the intergovernmental panel on climate change (ipcc), have agreed that global warming stems directly from human activities. Officially, we are in the geologic epoch called the Holocene that began at the end of the last ice age, but the influence of human activity on the earth's ecosystems has become so extreme that it now seems to be the main cause of environmental change, leading some scientists to say that we should call the epoch in which we live the Anthropocene. According to the Dutch chemist and nobel Laureate Paul Crutzen (2000), is the age of man, that period when humans have an enormous impact on the entire Earth's ecosystem. As you can see, the greenhouse effect is the main cause of climate change. Certain gases in the Earth's atmosphere act somewhat like the glass in a greenhouse: these imprison the sun's heat, preventing it from returning to space and causing global warming. These gases for the most part is already present in nature but our activities cause their concentrations in the atmosphere to increase. In particular: ü carbon dioxide (CO2) ü methane ü nitrogen oxide ü fluorinated gases. Carbon dioxide produced by human activities is the main factor in global warming. In 2020 the concentration in the atmosphere exceeded the preindustrial level (before 1750) by 48 percent. The other greenhouseinducing gases are methane, which, however, is a gas with a more powerful greenhouse effect than CO2 but has a shorter atmospheric lifetime. Nitrous oxide, on the other hand, like CO2, is a long-lived greenhouse gas that accumulates in the atmosphere for decades and even centuries. Pollutants other than greenhouse gases, including aerosols such as soot, have different warming and cooling effects and are also associated with other problems such as poor air quality. Suffice it to say that natural causes, such as changes in solar radiation or volcanic activity, contributed only 0.1ºC to the total warming between 1890 and 2010. Source: https://theroundup.org/co2-greenhouse-gas-emission-statistics/
5 But what are the causes of the increase in emissions? ü The burning of carbon, oil and gas produces carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide. ü Deforestation. Forests are known to be the lungs of the world and help regulate the climate by absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere. By cutting down trees, this action is lost and the CO2 stored in the trees is released into the atmosphere, thus fuelling the greenhouse effect. ü Intensive livestock farming is among the factors affecting global warming (there are more than 1 billion cattle raised worldwide). Thirty-two percent of emissions of this potent greenhouse gas from human activities are related to livestock farming, and come mainly from cattle digestion (as well as excrement, from pigs and cattle). ü Nitrogen fertilizers in fact, produce nitrogen oxide emissions as well as lead to 'soil acidification and loss of biodiversity. ü Fluorinated gases are emitted by equipment and products that use such gases. These emissions cause a powerful greenhouse effect, up to 23,000 times stronger than that caused by CO2. Additional information Please see the presentation by Australian academy of science: https://www.science.org.au/learning/general-audience/science-climatechange/3-are-human-activities-causing-climate-change Visit also this link to learn more about causes for rising emission: https://climate.ec.europa.eu/climate-change/causes-climate-change_en See also the Ted Talk about human activity and climate change: https://www.ted.com/talks/samatha_madsen_emissions_and_education_human_impact_on_climate_ch ange?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare Watch this National Geographic video about Causes and Effects of Climate Change: https://youtu.be/G4H1N_yXBiA Video If you want to learn more about the Greenhouse Effect, please watch this interesting video by Nasa: https://climate.nasa.gov/causes/ Source: https://climate.nasa.gov/causes/
6 “Did you know?” Did you know that fossil fuels are the main cause of global warming? They produce 80 percent of our energy and 86 percent of all anthropogenic CO2 emissions, over 35 billion tons each year (the rest, about 5.5 billion tons, is from land consumption). If with drastic actions we can get to zero CO2 emissions by 2050, the average temperature of the Planet at the end of the century will still rise by 1.0 °C; with strong actions the temperature will rise by 1.5-1.8 °C; with mild actions we can reach an increase of 2.2 °C, while if we do nothing we will reach an average temperature rise of 4 °C. Catastrophic! And it is good to know that one-third of the CO2 produced today will still be in the atmosphere in 100 years, one-fifth in 1,000 years, and some of it we will still find after 10,000 years. In addition, CO2 dissolved in water produces an increase in acidity, and already very negative effects have been observed on some of the aquatic fauna and flora. Source: https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/co2-da-problema-risorsa-29429 “Best practices” One of the good practices we can all follow is related to our diet. With our daily choices, we can safeguard the environment and our health. Pesticides, GMOs, maxi farms, intensive fishing, and monocultures: the food that ends up on supermarket shelves is produced in an increasingly industrial way, within a system driven by large multinational corporations. Trying therefore to reduce the foods that create the most CO2 can be a good start. Take a look at the table below with foods and corresponding emissions. Source:https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/food “Tips” Speaking of food, did you know that 80% of the world's deforestation is caused by intensive production of commodities, especially agricultural ones: basically, food that devours forests? Soy, palm oil, cocoa, meat, avocados, are the culprits of unprecedented destruction. We are decimating forests to make way for massive, industrial agriculture. Soybean production is razing South America's major forests, palm oil-which ends up in snacks and biodiesel-consumes Indonesia, cocoa plantations in the
7 Ivory Coast encroach on protected areas where elephants, hippos and crocodiles live. But even avocados, quinoa and cashews are often grown while destroying forests. One million species are at risk of extinction. If we want to save the climate and biodiversity, we must save the forests and have healthy food for us and especially for our planet. Here you will find some good eco-friendly recipes from top chefs. Source:https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/actnow-food-challenge/ Time for a Quiz! Have you ever wondered what your CO2 impact is on the ecosystem? Try to calculate your carbon footprint by using this online calculator found in this link: https://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx Try to discuss with your peer the result. Do you think you can easily reduce your carbon footprint? How? Let’s create a discussion to try to improve our ecological footprint!
8 LEARNING UNIT 2: FACTORS THAT AFFECT OR DETERMINE HUMAN BEHAVIOUR: MAIN THEORIES AND MODELS As you can imagine there are several determinants of human behaviour as indicated in the mind map below. We can say in general that behaviour is the way humans and animals act and react. Studied by psychology, ethology and sociology, human and animal behaviour is the set of voluntary or involuntary actions that we can directly observe. Of course, the big distinction is between innate and acquired behaviours. In this context we will choose only few theories that can be meaningful and stimulating to produce a reflection on how society, culture, economics and the behaviour of other individuals can be influential on our consumption. If, as we have said, in fact, it is human activities that cause the most climate change and make our ecosystem unsustainable, this is due to 'hyper’ production and consumption. There are different types of psychological theories that explain human behaviour. These theories are classified within one of four key types – developmental theories, Grand theories, Mini-theories, and Emergent theories. All psychological theories provide significant information about the history of psychology and the progression of thought on a particular topic. Just as important, the theories help contribute to our knowledge of the human mind and behavior. The following psychological theories are commonly used today: The Humanistic Theory One of the most prominent theories that fall under this category is Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, where human beings tend to reach their fullest potential if 5 of the key needs are met, starting from the lower ones. The Psychoanalytic Theory Father of this category of theories is Sigmund Freud. In his work, Freud states that people are captives of biological and environmental forces, while childhood experiences and unconscious motivations determine people’s adult thoughts and behaviors. Moreover, he recognizes that persons are comprised of three types of personalities: Id, Superego and Ego. Source: https://www.marketing91.com/maslows-hierarchy-ofneeds/ Source: https://pmhealthnp.com/sigmund-freudpsychoanalytic-theory/
9 The Theory of Behaviourism John Watson is one of the architects of this theory where he states that the environment is the biggest factor in changing behavior, not one’s will. In fact, he mentions that people behave the way they do because they were reinforced to do so through rewards and punishments. The Trait/ Type Theories In this category of theories the personal characteristics on one’s personality play a pivotal role in his/her behavior. The Model of the Big 5 Traits is the most prominent one in this category, where types are composed of traits, which in turn are comprised of numerous habits like extroversion, optimism, carefreeness, impulsivity, moody, easygoing etc. The Self- Determination Theory It was introduced by Deci & Ryan as a key theory where the pursue of being self-determined impacts motivation—"that people feel more motivated to take action when they think that what they do will have an effect on the outcome.” (Cherry, 2022). In this sense, people’s behaviours and actions are determined accordingly whet three critical components, namely competence, belonging and autonomy, have been fulfilled or not. Video If you want to learn more about the aforementioned theories and models, please watch the following videos: John Watson Theory of Behaviourism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V09FuazW8bc&list=RDCMUCRKpEc4eE9PwJaupN91xYQ&index=26 The Psychoanalytic Theory of Sigmund Freud, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vFf5CS27-Y Source: https://edmuse.substack.com/p/edtech-wants-to-teach-ushow-to-behave Source: https://www.scienceabc.com/social-science/what-are-the-big-fivepersonality-traits.html Source: https://twitter.com/haypsych/status/1532723823409233921
10 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-4ithG_07Q The big five personality traits https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB1FVbo8TSs&list=RDCMUCRKpEc4eE9PwJaupN91xYQ&index=10 Self Determination Theory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_juPDoa3GBY&list=RDCMUCRKpEc4eE9PwJaupN91xYQ&index=30 But why do we consume all the time? Consumerism finds its origin in the Industrial Revolution and the transformations of the economy that resulted from it. In pre-industrial times, in fact, on the one hand the economy was based on the satisfaction of basic needs, whilst the received incomes mostly allowed only the satisfaction of those needs. It is, on the other hand, with mass production and generalised prosperity that consumerism can develop. Consumerism loads products with meanings that are foreign to them but highly suggestive, to the point where they become existential symbols. It then becomes itself a way of life, in which the act of consumption is a value, indeed the value. If we think of marketing as a true socio-economic science, it aims to act on the choices of individuals by exploiting the symbologies behind each product; it designs products and promotional settings that can fully exploit the desires and instincts of individuals; it inspires the business strategies of large companies. Every product expresses meaning. Marketing is concerned with selling not only the product, but also the meanings, the Status, the symbologies it represents by acting on the desires, dreams and aspirations that individual consumers have, according to the concept that-through the products we buy-we express who we are, interesting are Baudrillard ‘s writings. Also, Zygmund Bauman a sociologist and philosopher points out that we live in the 'consumer society,' whose supreme value is the right/obligation to the 'pursuit of happiness' - an instantaneous and perpetual happiness that derives not so much from the satisfaction of desires as from their quantity and intensity. Yet, says Bauman, compared to our ancestors we are no happier: more alienated if anything, isolated, often harassed, drained by hectic and empty lives, forced to take part in a grotesque competition for visibility and status, in a society that lives for consumption and turns everything into a commodity. Nevertheless, we play along and do not rebel, nor do we feel any impulse to do so. In this process, economic production uses consumers as its allies to guarantee the mortality of its products, which is then the guarantee of its immortality. Consumption forced to become "forced consumption," begins to loom as a figure of destructiveness. Gunther Anders says that if: "Humanity that treats the world as a throw-away world, also treats itself as a throw-away humanity" Therefore, being aware of our induced behaviours is essential to save our ecosystem. Additional information For additional information, please watch the following video about our Consumer society: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmDoUa4fNM&ab_channel=Then%26Now Source: https://medium.com/@mabetancourtc/how-consumerism-affects-the-society5316d0126954
11 Video See also here, this Ted Talk by Breton Lorway, he is a four-year senior at Cushing Academy, and a day student from Princeton, Massachusetts: https://youtu.be/ZtmOAZoyRa0 Additionally, please view this video by Bauman about Consumerism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnGB-f3ElWA&t=439s&ab_channel=Festivalfilosofia Watch this presentation by Albert Bandura on Social Cognitive Theory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRW45c4_HUI “Did you know?” Did you know that if the global population reaches 10 billion by 2050, the equivalent of almost three planets could be required to provide the natural resources needed to sustain current lifestyles? Our environment will soon be stressed beyond capacity. Almost 10 billion people will be living on Earth by 2050. Global GDP is set to quadruple. Earth Overshoot Day, typically in August, is a shocking reminder that we have taken more from the planet than it can renew. Every resource we use following this day is borrowed from future generations. Based on current consumption patterns, we will soon need three times the amount of natural resources. That means three more planets. That’s why we need to be aware and change our behaviour. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-consumption-production/
12 “Best practices” “Establishing an EU circular economy calls for a transformation of Europe’s production/consumption systems. Production systems respond to and shape consumer demand through the products offered and how they are marketed. Informed consumer choices can potentially shape decisions made by producers upstream and downstream in product supply chains. The following link briefing https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/influencing-consumer-choicestowards-circularity explores how policy can enable more circular economy-consistent consumer behaviour by understanding the factors influencing it” Source: https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/influencing-consumer-choices-towards-circularity “Tips” Look at this interview about practical benefits of escaping excessive consumerism in your life: https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshuabecker/2020/04/30/escape-excessconsumerism/?sh=367017a72fbb.
13 The author, Joshua Becker is the Founder and Editor of Becoming Minimalist, a website that reaches 1 million readers each month inspiring people to pursue minimalism and live more by owning less. He is the Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Simplify, The More of Less, and The Minimalist Home. He is also the Creator of Simplify Magazine and Founder of The Hope Effect, a non-profit organization changing how the world cares for orphans. His new book, Things That Matter: Overcoming Distraction to Pursue a More Meaningful Life, will be released April 19. See this video here: https://www.ted.com/talks/graham_hill_less_stuff_more_happiness?referrer=playlisttalks_to_watch_instead_of_shop&autoplay=true Time for a Quiz! Let's’ start a discussion and make some reflections with your peer: How often do you normally buy clothes? How long do the products you buy normally last? Are you familiar with second hand shopping? Do you think you always buy objects that you need? How many things do you buy that you never use or use just for a few times? LEARNING UNIT 3: SUSTAINABLE BEHAVIOUR, SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE ‘Sustainable behaviour is the set of deliberate and effective actions that result in the conservation of natural and social resources; it encompasses pro-ecological, frugal, altruistic and equitable behaviors. These behaviors allow the conservation of the natural environment, and the protection of the integrity of society; this is their first contribution to quality of life’. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-31416-7_9#citeas Many decisions we make on a daily basis are unconscious or mechanical. We engage ourselves in achieving sustainability goals by means of sustainable behaviour. Environmental psychology is the science accountable for explaining the determinants of sustainable behaviors and lifestyles. This branch of psychology is devoted to studying the mental, behavioural and environmental factors involved in the achievement of quality of life. Some important notions to consider while thinking of sustainable behaviour are: ü Fostering sustainable behaviour ü Promoting sustainable behaviour ü Environmentally sustainable behaviour ü Sustainable behaviour changes ü Sustainable behaviour user ü Influencing sustainable behaviour Studies suggest that sustainable behaviour positively influences the physical environment while affecting the human quality of life just as much.
14 What do you think of when you hear about sustainable lifestyle? As it was indicated in Module 1 “Climate Change and Sustainable Development” the United Nations Environment Programme defines sustainable living as “understanding how our lifestyle choices impact the world around us and finding ways for everyone to live better and lighter.” According to the 2022 Revision of World Population Prospects, by 2050 the world’s population may reach 10 billion, which understandably necessitates more food, more water, more housing, fashion, and all aspirations at all levels. With the world stretching to its limits for resources, each day is becoming more challenging concerning biodiversity and climate change. The planet is at great risk, but we are aware of the fact that most people do not have the intention to harm the environment. At the same time, most people don’t have the intention to help either. This is simply because some struggle to meet basics needs, while others are merely occupied by the ongoing life demands, work, family, how to relax or travel, what food to buy, or how to get education. From a scientific aspect, Environmental psychology has developed methods and models that assess how sustainable lifestyle may influence human wellbeing without damaging the environment. Hence, sustainable behaviours could be envisaged as actions that contribute to the quality of life – both present and the future. To this end, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development foresees that sustainable lifestyle constitutes one of major actions that need to be taken for accomplishing the SDGs. In particular, The 12th goal: Responsible consumption and production aims precisely to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. Sustainable consumption and production is about doing more and better with less. It is also about decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation, increasing resource efficiency and promoting sustainable lifestyles. For decades, scientists have been explaining the ways in which humanity is driving the three planetary crises of climate, biodiversity and pollution, all of which are linked to unsustainable production and consumption. Changes in consumption and production patterns are needed and can help to promote the decoupling of economic growth and human well-being from resource use and environmental impact. They can also trigger the transformations envisaged in global commitments on biodiversity, the climate, and sustainable development in general. The following figure depicts the different aspects that SDG 12 covers. Source:http://aslamsaja.com/sdg-12-responsible-consumption-and-production-engineers-are-in-the-forefront-of-developing-solutions/
15 Goal 12 is important because it highlights, once again, how our pattern of consumption, linear economy, conditions an entire ecosystem: overexploiting natural resources, producing an infinite amount of waste and thus polluting and destroying the ecosystem balance in which we live. To date, the resources consumed by the world's population are more than ecosystems can provide. For social and economic development to take place within a framework of sustainability, our society will have to fundamentally change the way it produces and consumes goods. To this end, SDG 12 promotes the efficient management and use of natural resources, as well as reducing waste generation and halving global per capita food waste. But also the incorporation by companies of sustainability information in their regular reports and efforts to ensure that people around the world have the relevant information and awareness about sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature. Additional information For an additional reading, visit this link to learn more about the world population prospects for every country in the world in the publication issued by the United Nations https://population.un.org/wpp/Publications/Files/WPP2022_Data_Sources.pdf See also here, this presentation by the UN https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainableconsumptionproduction/#:~:text=Sustainable%20consumption%20and%20production%20is,efficiency%2 0and%20promoting%20sustainable%20lifestyles Visit also here, this link to learn more about 12th goal: https://sdg-tracker.org/sustainable-consumptionproduction Video See also here three videos by the UN Environment Programme https://www.anatomyofaction.org/videos Please view this TED Talk by Tristram Stuart, an international award-winning author, speaker, campaigner and expert on the environmental and social impacts of food https://www.ted.com/talks/tristram_stuart_the_global_food_waste_scandal?utm_campaign=tedspread &utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare “Did you know?” Did you know that experts around the world are already looking decades ahead and providing a foresight to understand the wide range of possibilities in order to shape our future? The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, supported by the United Nations Environment Programme, provides us with a detailed analysis drawn from a survey that reveals stunning information, comments and opinions of experts regarding environment, natural resources, culture, social norms, economy, technology, innovation, consumption and implications to daily living and sustainability. https://www.oneplanetnetwork.org/sites/default/files/fromcrm/society_and_lifestyles_in_2050_insights_from_a_global_survey_of_experts_iges_discussion_paper.p df
16 “Best practices” The Rio-based Jadir Taekwondo Association (AJTKD) has been awarded the BBC's Teamwork Award, which is part of its inaugural Green Sport Awards. AJTKD has put sustainability at their heart of what it does. Running a successful environmental education programme, it has involved children from deprived areas of Brazil in activities to provide them with climate change and environmental education. Read the full text at the following link https://www.oneplanetnetwork.org/news-and-events/news/jadirtaekwondo-association-awarded-bbc-green-sport-teamwork-award Video See also here, this video about sustainable fashion https://youtu.be/Ko8qCyoZ-Mg LEARNING UNIT 4: BEHAVIOURAL CHANGE AND HOW IT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED Whether we’re aware or not that the process of changing behaviours is extremely complicated and challenging, the case remains to be true. There’s a variety of social, personal and environmental factors that influence behaviour and they’re both a product of individual or collective action. According to the Central Office of Information (COI) they’re classified as follows: ü Personal or individual: beliefs, knowledge, attitudes, skills, genetics ü Social: interaction with other people including friends, family and the community ü Environmental: the area in which an individual lives, e.g. school, work place, local shops and facilities, and wider factors including the economy (such as prices) and technology.
17 Behavioural Change Wheel by Michie, van Stralen & West (2011). Retrieved from https://www.hintsa.com/insights/blogs/secret-to-succesful-behavioural-change/ What is behavioural change? Behavioural change implies long term alteration between habits and behaviours. Behaviour change can refer to any transformation or modification of human behavior. It may also refer to a broad range of activities and approaches which focus on the individual, community, and environmental influences on behavior. Furthermore, the Fogg Behaviour Model suggests that three elements must converge at the same moment for a behavior to occur: Motivation, Ability, and a Prompt. In case a behaviour does not occur, at least one of those three elements is missing. Overall, this model enables us to understand behaviour more easily. Additional information To learn more about the Fogg Behaviour Model visit the following links: https://behaviormodel.org/prompts/ https://www.bjfogg.com But how do we change behaviour and habits? A successful change requires determination and effective mechanisms to sustain those changes. In a study by Davis et al. (2015) researchers identified 82 different theories about behaviour change that are relevant to individuals of which some are more popular than others. Nonetheless, they all have the same goal – to explain why human behaviours change. Those theories can be used to influence further development of effective teaching methods. Over the years, the application of these theories in the fields of environment, education, health, climate change and energy to name a few, has been increasingly acknowledged around the world. In other words, understanding how behaviour works leads towards a successful behaviour change.
18 There are different types of behaviour change. The transtheoretical model was developed by Prochaska and DiClemente in the late ’70s and suggests six stages of behaviour change (Prochaska, 1979; Prochaska & DiClemente, 1982). These stages are: 1. Precontemplation In this stage, the individual is not intending to change their behaviour in the foreseeable future. They may be uninformed about the consequences of their behaviour or lack confidence in their ability to change, sometimes because of previous failed attempts. 2. Contemplation The individual is intending to change their behaviour within the next six months. They can see the benefits of making a change but are also very aware of the disadvantages and challenges, which can keep them stuck in this stage. 3. Preparation The individual is planning to change their behaviour within the next 30 days. They have usually taken some steps already, such as joining a support group, buying a self-help book, finding a coach etc., and have some form of plan in place. 4. Action The individual has made significant changes to their behaviour within the last six months, which has led to a different outcome in their health and/or wellbeing. 5. Maintenance The individual continues to change their behaviour so as to prevent a setback but is not putting as much time and effort into this as in the action stage. NOTE: Relapse can occur at any stage up to and including this one, going back to any of the earlier stages in the model. People most frequently return to contemplation or preparation for another attempt at changing their behaviour (Prochaska & Velicer, 1997). 6. Termination The individual is no longer tempted to use their old behaviour as a coping method and feels confident in their ability to keep this change. Many people will struggle to reach this end state. Source: https://positivepsychology.com/behavior-change/#techniques It is known that emotions create habits. Likewise, when a behaviour becomes more automatic, we start calling it a habit. Automaticity defines habits in general. Some examples of behaviours that are the target of change interventions are:
19 ü Littering ü Not saving electricity ü No recycling ü Food waste ü Polluting ü Plastic overuse ü Paper use ü Incorrect disposal of batteries Other examples of change that could lead to better health and wellbeing are: ü Eating healthy ü Exercising on a regular basis ü Driving safely ü Not smoking Additional information Visit the following website to download a three Goal Achievement Exercise! https://positivepsychology.com/behavior-change/ Visit the following website to read an article about How to Change Behaviour and Habits: 15 therapy techniques: https://positivepsychology.com/behavior-change-techniques/ Check out and commit a few moments to this practical worksheet on your change journey! https://positive.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/WDEP-Questions.pdf Listen to this talk about breaking bad habits https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3KDwirPd-4 Video Please visit this TEDx Talk by Tali Sharot that speaks about how we can motivate ourselves to change our behaviour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp0O2vi8DX4&t=14s Another interesting video by Dr. BJ Fogg https://vimeo.com/428221192 “Did you know?” Did you know that the fashion industry produces between 2 to 8 per cent of global carbon emissions?! Textile dyeing is also the second largest polluter of water globally and it takes around 2,000 gallons of water to make a typical pair of jeans. Every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or burned. If nothing changes, by 2050 the fashion industry will use up a quarter of the world’s carbon budget. Textiles are also estimated to account for approximately 9% of annual microplastic losses to the ocean! Source: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/putting-brakes-fast-fashion
20 “Best practices” Guidelines issued by UNEP and the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) show the practice of composting is one of the best options for managing organic waste while also reducing environmental impacts. Proper composting of the organic waste we generate in our daily lives – inedible or unused food – can reduce the dependence on chemical fertilizers, help recover soil fertility, and improve water retention and the delivery of nutrients to plants. Look at this here: https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/33737/Composting.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed =y “Tips” Have you heard about “The Little Book of Green Nudges”? It is a quick guide to reducing your campus' environmental impact through behavioural change in the form of a concise and user-friendly publication. It summarizes the evidence around what nudges work best while seeking to encourage more sustainable practices among students and staff across several behavioural categories. It also provides simple guidance on how to implement and evaluate behavioural interventions in a variety of contexts. Here you can download it: https://www.unep.org/explore-topics/education-environment/what-wedo/little-book-green-nudges Time for a Quiz! Group activity: exchange happiness Researchers have found a connection between happiness and the performance of selfless acts. Giving to others, they say, activates an area of the brain linked with contentment and the reward cycle. Each participant will set up his or her own stall with all the items, clothes, or whatever he or she no longer uses. The game begins with selling by exchanging their items with other participants! Try to see how happy it makes us to exchange items that we would have thrown away and instead can take on new life! LEARNING UNIT 5: HOW CULTURE, HUMAN VALUES AND LIFESTYLES AFFECT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Despite the fact that human beings originate from a common ancestor, there exist many differences between individuals and social groups around the globe. Since the earliest times humans have been migrating from one place to another for countless reasons. All the reasons nonetheless were well justified because they all implied a ‘strive for survival’. Having access to better
21 resources, finding a more suitable climate or simply being able to live more effortlessly pursued these migrations. Wherever people went, they formed communities and developed a common identity and distinctive cultures. According to UNESCO (UNESCO 2010) there are four dimensions of sustainable development: ü Environmental ü Economic ü Social ü Cultural Culture is one of the pillars and drivers of sustainable development. Culture is an important instrument in implementing sustainability principles and approaching sustainable development goals across different countries. It is a way of life and it includes cultural practices, norms and life-styles. Culture influences how people think and behave. It is focal to individual and collective identity and a sense of belonging. Most importantly, culture is imperative to social cohesion and sustainable sources of revenue. Intrinsically, culture is essential for individual and community confidence, happiness, and survival. Culture has to the continuing potential to provide healthy, inclusive and sustainable livelihoods. Baring all this in mind, the values created by culture influence sustainable development in a single environment. Inherently, culture itself greatly influences human values and lifestyles. Some of the most important components of culture, human values and lifestyles that play a significant role in sustainable development are: ü Ensuring that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and appreciation of cultural diversity ü Strengthen efforts to safeguard and protect world’s cultural and natural heritage. Environmental, social, and economic sustainability models currently used assess culture as an important aspect, nevertheless, there still is a lack of understanding on how culture is specifically related to sustainable development. As Dessein et al (2015) state there are three different roles that culture could undertake when it comes to sustainable development: 1. “Supportive and self-promoting role (characterised as culture in sustainable development), which simply and unquestionably expands conventional sustainable development discourse by adding culture as a more or less self-standing fourth dimension. Culture is related, but independent from its separate environmental, social, and economic aspects. Source: https://unsplash.com/s/photos/sustainabledevelopment Source: https://www.mdpi.com/20711050/11/4/970
22 2. The second role is described as culture for sustainable development, which offers to assess culture as a more influential force that can operate beyond the boundaries of sustainable development. 3. This role describes culture as sustainable development, where culture is seen as the essential foundation and structure for achieving the aims of sustainable development. In general, when recognising culture as the root of all human decisions and actions and even a new paradigm in sustainable development thinking, culture and sustainability become mutually intertwined, “whereas economic, social, and environmental dimensions differ, because they do not have such a close connection.” (Streimikiene et al. 2019). Video How to make radical climate action the new normal! Watch this video on TED by Nobel Laureate Al Gore who continues to focus the world's attention on the global climate crisis. https://www.ted.com/talks/al_gore_how_to_make_radical_climate_action_the_new_normal “Did you know?” The first Earth Day was in April 1970. While this celebration originated in the U.S., the world recognized it by the 90s. During the first Earth Day celebration, over 20 million people gathered to protest the industrial revolution. This created an environmental movement. In the decades leading up to the first Earth Day, Americans were consuming vast amounts of leaded gas through massive and inefficient automobiles. Industry belched out smoke and sludge with little fear of the consequences from either the law or bad press. Air pollution was commonly accepted as the smell of prosperity. Today, over 1 billion individuals are mobilized for action every Earth Day and more than 190 countries are engaged. The fight for a clean environment continues with increasing urgency, as the ravages of climate change become more apparent every day. Source: https://unsplash.com/collections/3583387/sustai nable-development
23 “Best practices” An EU funded project TOGETHER – TOwards a cultural understandinG of thE oTHER derives from the need to create and disseminate know-how regarding the intercultural dialogue among EU countries and countries outside the European territory, based on the common values cultural heritage represents in order to really empower all sectors of society to build bridges between people, reinforce mutual understanding, boost economic and social development and enable Europe and its neighbours to face common challenges as a whole context for social cohesion and sustainability. To learn more about this great initiative visit the project’s website. https://thetogetherproject.eu/about/about-together Another great best practice is the Culture in the SDG “The Future we want incudes Culture” Communique. CAE and its partners in the campaign ‘The Future We Want includes Culture’ have released a communiqué (available in English, French and Spanish) coinciding with the Special Summit on Sustainable Development to be held in New York on September 25-27. During this summit, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 70) will adopt the Outcome Document ‘Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’. https://cultureactioneurope.org/advocacy/the-future-we-want-includes-culture/ Additional information If you want to learn more about great examples of how countries adapted to climate change by changing their habits, please visit the following link https://gca.org/12-greatexamples-of-how-countries-are-adapting-to-climate-change/ Time for a Quiz! Please see carefully the following poster and list the actions presented that contribute to achieving environmental sustainability. Which of those constitutes habits? Do you have them or do you act differently? Discuss with your peers and identify what habits you should try to change.
24 Source: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/4/970 Conclusion How often do we think about behavioural changes, cultural and human values, our consumption habits and lifestyles? Is it easier to stubbornly stick to our habits that result in minimal adoption to alternatives or innovations that require behaviour change? Are we aware of the immense impact we could have on the planet as individuals simply by reinforcing new positive beliefs? Sustaining new habits isn’t easy nor is getting out of our cultural comfort zones, however, the more attention we bring to these questions, the more we prove to think and care about future generations! Just as culture influences us at societal level, our eating habits, the clothes we wear, values and attitudes, our individual approach could have positive influence on our immediate surrounding at the very least. The wonderful fact is that people’s personal values change over time, and with an appropriate quantity of awareness and education, today’s youth can lead us to a whole new level of growth.
25 Test what you’ve Learnt! INSERT THESE QUESTIONs IN KAHOOT: 1 Questions: what is consumerism? a. Consumerism is the propensity to consume and keep consuming. It is the drive to buy and own more stuff, and to define one's identity through what they own b. Is how to consume in a sustainable way c. Is a way to reduce inequality rising the wealth 2 Question: What is one of the goals of the 12th goal? a. Reduce greenhouse gas b. Implement recycling c. Implement more CO2 3 Question: If we continue to produce, exploit natural resources and conduct the current lifestyle, how many planets will we need in 2050? a. Always 1 planet b. 4 planets c. 3 planets 4 Question: which of the following constitutes an example of behaviour that is the target of change interventions? a. Plastic overuse b. Planting trees c. Saving the whales 5 Question: Which branch of psychology is devoted to studying the mental, behavioural and environmental factors involved in the achievement of quality life? a. Developmental psychology b. Social psychology c. Environmental psychology 6 Question: What is sustainable behaviour? a. a set of deliberate and effective actions that result in the conservation of natural and social resources b. a way in which one performs in everyday life c. social anxiety, school phobia and shyness that an individual experiences
26 REFERENCES Central Office of Information (COI) (2009). Communications and behaviour change. London: COI. Cherry, K. (2022). What Is Self-Determination Theory? How Self-Determination Influences Motivation. Available at: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-self-determination-theory-2795387 Dessein, J. & Soini, K. & Birkeland, I. & Fairclough, G. & Horlings, L. & De Beukelaer, Ch. & Matejic, J. & Stylianou-Lambert, T. & Mihaila, M. & Spinozzi, P. & Cicerchia, A. & Johannisson, J. & Kangas, A. & Lapka, M. & Dragicevic Sesic, M. & Siivonen, K. & Skjerven, A. & Plebańczyk, K. & Tomka, G. & Reimer, M. (2015). Culture in, for and as Sustainable Development. Conclusions of COST Action IS 1007 Investigating Cultural Sustainability. 10.13140/RG.2.1.3380.7844. Dobson, A. (2007). Environmental citizenship: Towards sustainable development. Sustainable Development, 15, 276–285. Dominika Kwasnicka, Stephan U Dombrowski, Martin White & Falko Sniehotta (2016) Theoretical explanations for maintenance of behaviour change: a systematic review of behaviour theories, Health Psychology Review, 10:3, 277-296, DOI: 10.1080/17437199.2016.1151372 Orbell, S., & Verplanken, B. (2020). Changing behavior using habit theory. In M. S. Hagger, L. D. Cameron, K. Hamilton, N. Hankonen, & T. Lintunen (Eds.), The handbook of behavior change (pp. 178–192). Cambridge University Press. Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2018). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. Guilford Press. Sniehotta, F. F. & Aunger, R. (in press). In D.P. French, A. Kaptein, K. Vedhara & J. Weinman (Eds). Health Psychology 2nd Edition. Blackwell. Streimikiene D, Mikalauskiene A, Kiausiene I. The Impact of Value Created by Culture on Approaching the Sustainable Development Goals: Case of the Baltic States. Sustainability. 2019; 11(22):6437. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11226437 Tapia-Fonllem, C., Corral-Verdugo, V., Fraijo-Sing, B. (2017). Sustainable Behavior and Quality of Life. In: Fleury-Bahi, G., Pol, E., Navarro, O. (eds) Handbook of Environmental Psychology and Quality of Life Research. International Handbooks of Quality-of-Life. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-31931416-7_9
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