Applying social psychology to environmental issues is a unique and interesting twist on altering problematic behaviors. Although I saw the value in changing perception in other ways, I never really thought about it in this context. Since this week’s lesson focused on different strategies used for recycling, energy conservation, and reduction of water usage, I wondered how this applied in my everyday life. In what ways are utility companies, businesses, and even my employer effective in discouraging wasteful behaviors? To learn of the answer, I decided to become environmentally aware of practices in my home, of local businesses frequented, and my work environment to find out.
Purchasing a fully electric home, I anticipated my electric use to be a bit on the higher end. After all, attending school online uses energy, as well as cooking, using hot water, air conditioning, heating, etc. So it came as no surprise to see my monthly usage for the square footage of my home. What was shocking and made me take notice, was after receiving a home energy report that showed astronomical usage compared to other homes in the area. This detailed report showed the times of peak usage, an average day of the previous month, usage of similar homes, homes that are both similar and efficient, and my home in comparison. If you are found to have a good rating, one “smiley” face is received and for great, two. My first report showed that I was well behind similar homes in the area, but this changed after a few months when the rating of good was received and later great. While I did not think such awareness would have this type of impact, I am pleased to say that it did and I am more cognizant of my usage. Schultz et al. (as cited in Schneider, Gruman, and Coutts, 2012) saw similar effects in their study of home energy conservation. The researchers found when a report of energy consumption was given that provided a comparison of usage and a smile or a frowned face as the “…injunctive norm of approval or disapproval,” households responded by using less energy (Schneider et al., 2012, pp. 309-310).
Besides energy consumption, waste is yet another area that garnered little attention – until I noticed the “face-lift” many trash receptacles received. During lunch time in downtown D.C., I frequently gather with co-workers or friends to grab a salad, chicken roti, or whatever may seem tasty for the day. Usually when our meals have been completed, the fast food establishment offered large trash receptacles to discard of all remaining items. However, this is no longer the same. Over the past few months, I have noticed that the trash cans are not just one large bin anymore. Restaurants now have containers that divide the different type of waste for recycling purposes. Since everything cannot fit into certain squares or holes, the consumer must be mindful of how to discard the trash. Although I am not certain how the trash is handled from there, this method of sorting has rolled over into my home life. By being mindful of the way trash is discarded in restaurants, I am aware of the same processes at home and have set up separate areas for different items (plastic, paper, etc.). I have also started to reuse plastic bags, bottles, or anything that can be used on more than one occasion. This helps me to participate in the recycling efforts in my community and make a small step towards helping the environment.
Since so much time is spent in the office, it was pretty interesting to look at behaviors encouraged by building management and my employer. Upon entering the building, visitors/workers are introduced to the stance building management has taken with respect to sustainability. Logos of Energy Star and the U.S. Green Building Council are affixed to the entrance and are very visible. This relays the message (at minimum) that the building is energy efficient, conserves water, and participates in recycling efforts. In testing this assumption, I stayed attentive to ways the bathrooms were designed, trash practices, and energy efficiency products. Within my office, there are various containers for paper, plastic, and general trash, then others for paperwork that requires shredding. While my employer has provided all energy efficient laptops/computers and equipment within the office, the building has also taken steps to ensure compliance is met. For example, if an office is unoccupied for a certain amount of time, the light automatically turns off. This helps to reduce usage when others forget or fail to turn their lights off when departing for the day. When looking at the restroom, I noticed low-flush, manual toilets and hand towels made from recycled paper to dry our hands after washing. Our rooftop terrace, which provides amazing views of the city, boasts of greenery that provides some comforts of a park setting and allows tenants to gather for lunch, social functions, or just a moment enjoy the view. Trash practices are prominent here also, where much like my office, there are containers for plastic, glass, etc. that is separated for recycling.
All in all, applied social psychology is all around us and with respect to the environment, there are practices being used every day. Although we may not be aware of its effects, the trash separation at fast food restaurants and my office carry over into my home and it helps with community efforts. Likewise, my utility company implemented a program that has proven successful in studies and now in several homes within the area. While we may not always be mindful of such behaviors, it is a pleasant thought to see how it has helped curb some of my bad habits. Have you noticed the same in your environment? Try taking an observational tour to find out. You will be surprised at what you discover.
Reference:
Schneider, F., Gruman, J., & Coutts, L. (Eds.). (2012). Applied social psychology: understanding and addressing social and practical problems (2nd ed.). Los Angeles: Sage.
Tags: Applied social psychology, energy conservation, environment
This is an excellent example of an environmental conservation effort at work. The fact that you became aware of your energy and recycling usage in all areas of your daily life is wonderful. My home is a combination of natural gas and electricity and there is really no good way. I suppose solar is now the best way to go for heating and cooling your home so that we become more efficient and environmentally aware, however, it can be cost prohibitive. Recycling, which was the subject of my blog, is one of the main ways everyone can lend to the environment. It takes little effort to separate. I am happy to hear that your food vendors are also on board. Here in Jersey, and in PA where I recently lived, recycling is everywhere. Restaurants, offices, rest stops, etc. I cringe to see someone toss a bottle into a regular trash bin. Personally, I find it a bit more difficult to control energy usage. I do make the effort at home to turn off power that I am not using but if I wanted to really be honest, I could do more. Perhaps I should.