The Little Book of Green Nudges

The nudge: Ask people to commit ahead of time to a sustainable action and make small changes at first. Highlight benefits of sustainable behaviour that can be experienced in the short term. Evidence that it’s effective: Hotel guests were more likely to reuse towels when they committed to do so at check-in. 27 Consumers were more willing to buy energy-efficient washer-dryers when given information at the point of purchase about the lifetime running costs, as this made the future savings more salient in the short term, offsetting the higher immediate purchase costs of efficient appliances. 28 Why it works: The complexities of life and our limited willpower often get in the way of our good intentions. We are therefore more likely to act on those intentions if we lock ourselves into a commitment in advance, such as signing up to run a marathon. We feel more strongly about consequences that are more immediate, so we are more likely to follow through if the benefits are emphasized in the present and the costs are pushed into the future. Encourage pre-commitments and emphasize present benefits MAKE IT TIMELY

Encourage pre-ordering of catered meals

How? In catered halls of residence and at university events, ask attendees to choose food in advance, when immediate gratification is not an issue and people tend to favour long- term intentions for being healthier and more sustainable. This could be combined with other nudges towards plant-based food.

Who might be involved? Campus catering coordinators, catering companies

The Little Book of Green Nudges 28