Strategies to Motivate Action for Adults and High School Students
Learn more about behavior change strategies at Fostering Sustainable Behavior (www.cbsm.com/pages/guide/preface)
and The Psychology of Sustainable Behavior (www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/view-document.html?gid=12949).
Steps to achieve sustainable behavior change:
 Select behaviors
 Identify barriers and benefits to taking action
 Develop a strategy to overcome specific barriers
 Pilot your strategy
 Evaluate, make necessary changes and implement broadly
Common barriers and effective strategies to help overcome each barrier:
Barriers
Strategies
Lack of motivation – value action
Get commitments
Lack of motivation – don’t value
Establish new social norms
Significant lack of motivation
Provide incentives to establish a habit
Forget to act
Post reminders and prompts
Lack of information
Share information with the community
Communicate regularly
Lack skills; anxiety
Let people try an activity
External barriers
Make it more convenient
Source: www.cbsm.com Dr. Doug Mckenzie-Mohr
Best Practices for Youth Environmental Education
Youth projects should be based on best practices for youth engagement:
o Develop awareness, increase knowledge.
o Encourage youth leadership focused on issues relevant to their lives.
o Incorporate outdoor, experiential, service learning, or place-based education.
o Be hands-on, build skills, and promote environmental stewardship.
o Inquiry-driven, engaging higher level thinking skills, and interdisciplinary.
o Promote community partnerships.