Motivation isn’t enough to sustain a habit
Climate change is real. And it’s our fault that it’s become this bad. I feel partly responsible for making sure that the problem of climate change is solved within this generation. I understand the issue is extremely urgent and that if we don’t do something right now, the impact will be irreversibly tragic for the entire human race, both present and future.
To do our part, we can start small. Something as simple as using shampoo bars instead of shampoo packaged in single-use plastic containers, taking the jeep instead of booking a Grab especially if I’m just traveling alone, and talking about these feasible climate change solutions with my peers so that they can do the same and maybe even be my sources of inspiration to try out new sustainable actions.
However, it would be a bit naïve to think that an environmentally friendly lifestyle can be sustained by pure motivation. It also has to be easy to do and accessible so that the change in habit is sustainable and scalable across social groups. A few years ago, I thought it would be pretty neat if there could be milk vending machines around large schools and subdivisions, so that kids and families could use their reusable bottles to get milk, instead of using the milk cartons (which typically have plastic linings on them) that FMCG companies like Nestle distribute their milk in.
Behavioral design plays a big role in making sure habits are sustained because it eliminates barriers to ability. Why would I ever buy milk in a carton, if it’s easy and convenient for me to just walk across the street and get fresh milk using a glass bottle? Why would I buy a gas-guzzling car, if there’s a bus station that’s a 2-minute walk away from my house? Why would I throw my trash without segregating, if there are designated bins that clearly detail which types of garbage go where?
Behavioral design forces us to see that there are better ways of living because it tweaks something in daily life in a way that the desired action becomes an easy and practical choice. If we change our conditions and surroundings with the goal of making it easier for us to commit to sustainable actions, then we ensure that we are in the best position to live sustainably.
That should be the goal at the end of the day!
