Rather than a case-study, this week this I am going to point you in the direction of the International Association of Social Marketing – known as i-SMA. There are lots of resources; research papers, case-studies and the odd job opportunity. My favourite part (this week) was the blog interviews. I particularly enjoyed Bridging Cultural Divides [...]
Minimum pricing for alcohol
The Scottish government has confirmed that it will set a minimum price per unit for alcohol. The planned 50p per unit is higher than the 40p per unit price planned for England and Wales. The Scottish Government hope the measure will reduce the health problems caused by excessive drinking and they have some thorough research [...]
Jerry the Bear
The story of Jerry the Bear is inspirational on a number of levels. This is a bear with a difference – a teddy designed to help children diagnosed with diabetes manage and understand their condition. Jerry’s eyelids can close to show he is low in energy, until he is fed certain foods or given a [...]
Competition
Reading Richard Branson’s book recently I enjoyed reading his praise of competitions. Some of the world’s greatest innovative thinking has come about as a result of competitions. As readers of my blog might know I am a fan of competitions AND the smart use of technology. The Department of Health, NHS London and London Health [...]
Taxi!
I am often asked for examples of low-cost behaviour change projects which can be implemented relatively easily. While long-term sustainable change takes time, resources and is best undertaken with a high level of insight, small-scale projects can be inspirational and attainable. After all, small projects are better than none at all. One project, which was [...]
Green research
The study, by UK social enterprise Behaviour Change, looked at the current state of green consumer behaviour in the UK, covering everything from loft insulation to flying, using a nationally representative sample of 1,000-plus qualitative fieldwork. The research found that that while easy behaviours such as recycling were now mainstream, sustainable living as a whole [...]
Every Child Deserves a 5th Birthday
One of the key components I look for in a behaviour change project or programme is a clear call to action. Ideally an array of actions that can allow people with different motivations and resources to engage. I came across the very worthwhile Every Child Deserves a 5th Birthday this week. Launched by USAID, the [...]
Clean air from smart buildings?
Looking at design solutions, we have photocatalytic clothing that can purify the air as the wearer moves around, so why not apply a similar concept to architectural materials to help cleanse the air outside? That is just the premise behind Reynobond with EcoClean, which is touted as an “architectural panel that cleans itself and the [...]
Hinduism and H2O
I often use Hinduism and H2O as a case-study in my workshops. This initiative was run as a partnership between the London Sustainability Exchange and Thames Water and aimed to promote water conservation with Hindu communities in East London, by making the link between scripture and sustainable consumption. The programme included: Sustainability Starter Kits containing [...]
Collaborative Consumption
Rather than tinkling around the edges with initiatives such as recycled packaging and energy-efficient cars, visionary thinkers are of the opinion we need to completely change the way we live. Big-bang changes like this are not easy to implement but movements which sprout up and quietly gather strength can drive, over time, substantial change. One [...]