Fostering Sustainable Behavior: An Introduction to Community-Based Social Marketing

by Doug McKenzie-Mohr, William Smith

Our consumption patterns are threatening to outstrip Earth's ability to support humanity and other species. A sustainable future will require sweeping changes in public behavior. While conventional marketing can help create public awareness, social marketing identifies and overcomes barriers to long-lasting behavior change. This ground-breaking book is the primary resource for the emerging new field of community-based social marketing, and an invaluable guide for anyone involved in designing public education programs with the goal of promoting sustainable behavior, from recycling and energy efficiency, to alternative transportation. Dr. McKenzie-Mohr is a professor of social psychology and community-based marketing at St. Thomas University in New Brunswick. Dr. William Smith is the Executive Vice President at the Academy for Educational Development in Washington, D.C.

Genres: Sustainability, Nonfiction, Environment, Psychology, Business, Climate Change, Education

176 pages, Paperback

First published June 29, 1999

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy-to-read comprehensive overview of community-based social marketing. Book from the office and read mostly during lunch breaks. I wish I read this during my thesis literature review!

[ahn mur · Rating 5 out of 5]

If elements of what McKenzie-Mohr discusses do not surprise you, it is because the ideas presented here are becoming more widely implemented. Should that dissuade you from reading it? Absolutely not. Understanding the foundation of research-proven behaviour change program design is important, and opens the door to more effective program design.
It was written very accessibly, and was pretty enjoyable for the most part. By the end, it started to feel a bit repetitive, but I suspect that a strategy to really reinforce the reader's learning. Required reading for anyone hoping to promote sustainable choices and behaviours.

[Trilety Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you want people to listen? Do you want to be more collaborative? Do you want to make sure your pilot project or just your lifestyle is successful in being a model for others? This book provides a generous amount of tools - regarding asking for environmental commitments, ie pledges, and giving prompts to change yours and others behaviour - oh so good!

[Wordwizard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for research. Interesting. I knew most of the theories b/c I'm coming at it from a psychological background, unlike most of his audience, I think. Great applications, though. Promoted his website a lot, and when I checked it out, there wasn't a whole lot there. I think he hopes it will turn into a hub, but I don't know how much that's happening. Oh well--good luck to him.

[Josh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Idk, nothing too groundbreaking ~ I feel like this is, largely, the way I was taught to design, implement and evaluate programs from grad school. Other than a bit of emphasis on encouraging norms, I don't really see the "social" aspect of this technique...

[Lynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good, practical guide to sustainable marketing with interesting case studies.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading for work

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obv, like still have it so yeah! Jacked it up from 3 to 5 stars. Peace

[Doris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read as background info for my internship.

Technically didn't finish reading the last 15-20 pages.
Dry material, sort of interesting topic though.

[Sabra Briere]

I have a feeling a lot of people may have read this, but I'm not certain they took the same lessons home that I have taken.

Worth reading when considering what it takes to change behaviors.

[Marcus Tay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A practial guide to changing human behaviour

[Summer Pączek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good to keep as a reference book.

[Spencer Critchley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essential reading on what works in achieving change.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important training text for inducing in us all the behavior each of us need from each other.