Don’t Be Crabby, Turn Off Your Lights: Changing Behavior Through Social Marketing Megan Green Mecklenburg County Land Use and Environmental Services Agency Air Quality Division

Behavior Change is Possible

Project Origins

CBSM Steps Narrow the Scope Uncover Benefits and Barriers Conduct a Baseline Audit Develop a Campaign Test/Pilot the Campaign Roll-out the Campaign Evaluate

Narrow the Scope Target Audience: County Employees who work at HMC Target Behavior: Turning off the lights

Uncovering Benefits and Barriers: Literature Review Comparative feedback can encourage formation of social/personal norm (Siero 1996) Programs tailored to target audience are more effective (Daamon 2001) Misplaced incentive: when participants don’t directly benefit from action (Brown 2008)

Uncovering Benefits and Barriers: Survey Why DO you turn off lights? 1.Turn lights off out of habit. (75%) 2.It is common office practice to turn off lights at the end of the day. (65%)

Uncovering Benefits and Barriers: Survey Why DON’T you turn off lights? 1. Someone else will turn off the lights after hours. (30%) 2.A dark workspace sends the message: “I’m not working.” (25%)

Uncovering Benefits and Barriers Employees who reported they never turn off their workspace lights: – don’t think it is common practice to turn off workspace lights at the end of the day. – don’t think any of their coworkers consistently turn off their lights.

Baseline Audit Actual photo from Audit

Develop a Campaign 1.Increase the number of lights being turned off in unoccupied workspaces during business hours; and 2.Increase the number common area lights being turned off at the end of the day (especially over cubicles and in hallways and copy rooms).

Phase One: CRAB, You’re It! D ON ’ T BE “ CRABBY ;” TURN OFF YOUR LIGHTS !

Phase One: CRAB, You’re It! CBSM strategies incorporated into phase one : Make the source of your message close to your audience Actively involve the target audience in achieving the goal Use noticeable prompts Make “Social Norms” visible

Phase Two: Adopt-A-Light

CBSM strategies incorporated into phase two: Seek public, written commitments Use noticeable prompts Actively involve the target audience in achieving the goal Provide incentives

Pilot the Campaign CRAB You’re It!

Roll-out the Campaign

Embrace the Unexpected

Campaign Results

“Lights Out” Resource

Final Thoughts CBSM works! but the process is lengthy. Target audience survey refined the literature review. Focus group feedback is essential. Management support promotes participation. Make campaigns as personal or grass-roots as possible.

Happy Crabbing! Megan Green Mecklenburg County Land Use and Environmental Services Agency Air Quality Division