Green Nudges 2.0
Personalized behavioral intervention to reduce single-use-plastics
Partners
Ministry of Environmental Protection
Collaborators
Dr. Daniella Shidlovski, Anat Halevy, Rotem Levin
The Problem
Plastic pollution caused by disposable utensils is one of the main threats to the environment globally. In Israel, the situation is extremely dire due to high rates of consumers’ usage of disposable products. To mitigate these damages, considerable resources are invested in waste treatment infrastructure. However, that does not address the root cause of the problem – the purchase and usage of disposables by Israeli consumers. Other approaches such as raising awareness are limited due to a known gap between people’s stated attitudes and their actual behavior.
Our Approach
We address this problem using a novel approach based on behavioral economics which is to implement personalized behavioral interventions (“green nudges”) that have been found to be effective in promoting pro-environmental actions. We are developing a series of green nudges, based on known principles of behavioral economics that aim to make the desired behavior (avoiding disposable utensils) easier, more attractive, more socially desirable and more timely relevant to the situation. Through a combination of online experiments, surveys, and field trials, we examine the effectiveness of sets of green nudges and explore how to increase their effectiveness by personalizing them to different individuals, different products, and different contexts of usage.
Behavioral Solutions
Our findings will enable policymakers to make more informed evidence-based decisions regarding the adoption and implementation of policy solutions optimally adapted to target audiences in various situations.
Results and Impact
Thus, our approach complements traditional policy measures, and encourages significant sustainable behavioral change to substantially reduce the extensive environmental damage caused by disposable products in Israel.
More Information
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