TRENDING ISSUE IN FOCUS

Innovations in Sustainable Packaging

News & Views

Behavior Change

Case Study: How We Changed the Behavior of Littering

Over the last few years, Shelton Group’s Pulse studies have tracked a decline in concern for several environmental issues — hypothesizing that some issues (such as climate change) have become highly politicized and that the country’s declining economy has given Americans more immediate worries to focus on. One environmental issue that has definitely bucked this trend is trash.

In our Green Living Pulse™ study, throwing trash out of the car window was the only environmentally related behavior that a majority of Americans (63 percent) would be very embarrassed to get caught doing.

Rhode Island Whole Foods' Produce Display Urges Consumers to Help Preserve Pivotal Pollinators

On Friday, a Whole Foods Market in University Heights, Rhode Island found an effective way to illustrate the pivotal role that bees play in our food system by removing all produce items that are dependent on bees and other pollinators, according to the company's website.

The store's produce team pulled 237 of 453 products — 52 percent of the department's normal product mix, including:

Marcal Rebrand Lets the World Know That It's Always Been Green

In my speeches on "making green sexy," which I've given in a number of locations in the US and Europe, I talk about different types of message points for three different audiences: deep green, light green/lazy green, and non-green. I discuss the idea that these three groups are motivated differently, and to make real society-wide behavioral change, we need to hit all three. Some of Shelton Group's research has actually influenced my thinking about this.

Nike, Levi Strauss Publish Updated Hazardous Chemical Plan

Nike, Levi Strauss, H&M and several other members of the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals Group have committed to publishing a list of chemicals targeted for phase out or research by 2015 as part of a plan to eliminate hazardous chemicals from their supply chains by 2020.

Richard Branson and Jochen Zeitz Launch 'B Team' to Foster Sustainable Business

Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson and PUMA Chairman Jochen Zeitz have launched a new non-profit call “The B Team,” which aims to deliver a new way of doing business that prioritizes people and planet alongside profit — a "Plan B" for businesses the world over.

The Easiest Choice in the World: Using Innovation to Help Every Customer Be More Sustainable

Since its launch in 2010, the Eco Rating scheme that Forum for the Future created with Telefónica UK/O2 has been helping consumers make more sustainable handset choices, whether they like it or not.

Coca-Cola's PlantBottle Rollout Signals Brands Taking Sustainability in China Seriously

When Coca-Cola first rolled out its PlantBottle in fall 2009 in Copenhagen, the beverage giant sent a signal to the entire food and beverage industry that it had had to take sustainable packaging more seriously.

How to Jump-Start Behavior Change Around Energy Conservation

For many years of Pulse studies, when asked who they most blame for rising energy costs, respondents have said they most blame either 1) oil companies or 2) the U.S. government — with utilities much farther down the list.

SB '13 Day Four Speakers, Debates, Ads and Songs Exemplify Successful Sustainability Communications

Thursday, the morning of the fourth and final day of SB ‘13, continued the week’s momentum and lived up to its “Communications” theme with a variety of rousing speakers and conversations, peppered with examples of clever and successful sustainability messaging from some of our top brands that focus on “selling behavior, not selling stuff.”

Is It Best to Approach Behavior Change from Inside or Outside of Your Company?

Work on behavior change cannot be considered a new area; various institutions, especially governments, have long sought to influence individuals’ behavior in areas such as health, transport, family planning, etc. It is also not new for companies and brands to attempt to influence behaviors and needs through marketing.

User login

Syndicate content

Call for Content!

Our editorial Issue in Focus for June will examine how brands are activating sustainability. We invite you to share stories of how your organization is driving behavior change to encourage more sustainable consumption. Check out our call for content and find out about partnership opportunities!