The document discusses strategies for influencing consumer behavior related to energy use and climate change. It argues that consumers are often misunderstood as not caring or willfully ignoring information, when in reality they lack focus, doubt their individual impact, and need support to form intentions and follow through on small actions. The document proposes a spiral model of behavior change involving focusing on issues close to people's existing cares, inviting experimentation, providing non-judgmental information, supporting intentions through peer networks, gathering feedback, and cultivating ongoing care around the issue.

1. BEHAVE 2018, Zürich, September
Understanding and influencing energy-
related behaviours
Marilyn Mehlmann, Legacy17
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org

2. Understanding habitual consumer behaviour
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org
How do consumers learn about the impact of
their habits on climate and environment?
How is it possible that they don't all already
know and understand?

3. Why do consumers not understand?
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org
Is it for lack of information? Hardly.
Is it because they don't care? Hardly.

4. Why do consumers not understand?
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org
Is it for lack of information? Hardly.
Is it because they don't care? Hardly.
Is it that they know what to do but not how to
do it? Possible, at some level.
Is it that they know what to do and how to do
it, but choose not to? Not consciously.

5. Why do consumers not understand?
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org
Do they resist attempts to shuffle 'all'
responsibility onto them? Often.
Do they doubt that anything they do will
make a difference? Yes.

6. Influencing behaviour
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org
☞ Knowledge leads to debate
☞ Insight leads to action

7. Understanding habitual consumer behaviour
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org
☞ Knowledge leads to debate
☞ Insight leads to action
How do we learn what we know?
"A little learning is a dangerous thing."
(Alexander Pope, 1711)

8. From linear to spiral thinking
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org

9. From linear to spiral thinking
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org

10. Spiral element 1: focus
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org
Everyone cares about something
Finding the focus – close to home

11. Spiral element 1: focus
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org
Everyone cares about something
Finding the focus – close to home
Focus groups/customer journey...
Clarify in advance how the outcomes
will be used
What do people care about? How might you
find out?

12. Spiral element 2: perceived scope for action
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org
Most-asked questions:
o Where should I start?
o Will it make a difference?

13. Spiral element 2: perceived scope for action
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org
Most-asked questions:
o Where should I start?
o Will it make a difference?
Invitation to experiment
How do YOU invite experimentation?

14. Spiral element 3: Make information available
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org
Build on questions
Easy, non-judgemental

15. Build on questions
Easy, non-judgemental
Empowering writing
o Solutions, not problems
o Non-judgemental
o Awakens curiosity rather than satisfying it
o No ‘unnecessary’ information, no jargon
How might you reframe your message?
Spiral element 3: Make information available
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org

16. Put small steps in a big context
Formulate intention: achievable ‘now’;
incremental
Spiral element 4: Support intention
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org

17. Put small steps in a big context
Formulate intention: achievable ‘now’;
incremental
Peer-to-peer coaching
Help line and GoTo
Spiral element 4: Support intention
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org

18. Monitoring & evaluation
Showing results, putting in context
Spiral element 5: Feedback
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org

19. Monitoring & evaluation
Showing results, putting in context
How do you provide feedback?
What response do you get
Spiral element 5: Feedback
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org

20. Is where it begins and ends
Spiral element 6: Caring…
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org

21. Is where it begins and ends
Spiral element 6: Caring…
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org

22. Is where it begins and ends
Spiral element 6: Caring…
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org

23. What do WE block? Some common limiting beliefs:
Awareness precedes behaviour change
'Evidence-based' mostly refers to technology; self-
reporting is always unreliable
Only big changes are worth making
Big energy use is mostly about transport, buildings and
energy supply/usage
Our own limiting beliefs
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org

24. Any bias is reflected before and after
International comparisons
Intrinsic role in change process
Consumer self reporting: before and after change
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org

25. Any bias is reflected before and after
International comparisons
Intrinsic role in change process
Do you use self-reporting by consumers?
If not, do you see a role for it?
Consumer self reporting: before and after change
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org

26. Its primary (extrinsic) value is to satisfy needs
Shelter, food, clean air and water, clothes,
community
Major potentials for energy saving?
Energy has no intrinsic value
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org

27. Its primary (extrinsic) value is to satisfy needs
Shelter, food, clothes, water, clean air,
community
Major potentials for energy saving?
Shelter and food
Energy has no intrinsic value
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org

28. Shelter: Important changes are BIG. They are
o Long-term and professional
o High built-in inertia
o Depend on consumer behaviour for max effect
Food: SMALL changes for many households and
businesses are
o Easy, immediate
o Add up to big impact
Shelter and food
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org

29. Effective change-making
o Starts with what people already care about
o Generates questions
o Supplies context
o Challenges beliefs – our own and others
Your role as a change-maker
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org

30. Effective change-making
o Starts with what people already care about
o Generates questions
o Supplies context
o Challenges beliefs – our own and others
Two key words: INTENTION and ATTENTION
Your role as a change-maker
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org

31. BEHAVE 2018, Zürich, September
Understanding and influencing energy-related
behaviours
Marilyn Mehlmann, Legacy17
Thank you for your attention
Legacy17 – 2018 | legacy17.org | secretariat@legacy17.org