How to Nudge Consumers to Be Environmentally Friendly - WSJ.com#printMode

Well, this article makes me go "hmmm....". Apparently, peer pressure does not end after high school, as if I hadn't noticed. This article sites multiple studies and experiments that point to peer pressure or at least the "pull of the crowd" as a more powerful driver of behavioral change than financial incentives, or social responsibility to "do the right thing". How to Nudge Consumers to Be Environmentally Friendly - WSJ.com#printMode.

This surprises me quite a bit, as I personally subscribe to a belief that people need to really have a strong internal (emotional) desire and motivation for change in order to actually make significant changes (and especially to stick with them). In fact, in "The Heart of Change" by John Kotter, his research bears this out. The essence of Kotter's message is this: the reason so many change initiatives fail is that they rely too much on "data gathering, analysis, report writing, and presentations" instead of a more creative approach aimed at grabbing the "feelings that motivate useful action." (Citation, Amazon.com Review) So perhaps the peer pressure, the subconscious need that many of us have to "fit in" is enough of an emotional pull to incite some level of change after all. If this is the case, we have much work to do to reverse our consumption-oriented "more and bigger is better" culture! (In my humble opinion, of course!).

Sustainability at Penn State University

Penn State is truly playing a Bigger Game in Sustainability. I participated in a workshop in late August where the brought in some of their key corporate stakeholders to really do some out of the box thinking on what a top university needs to be doing to create a sustainable future... and the outcomes were really exciting. There will be a whitepaper published on this 2 day workshop very soon, and it should be posted at http://www.green.psu.edu/.

This hits home in a very personal way for me, because I have a high school senior who is now choosing colleges to apply to, and career directions... What could be more inspiring than training at an institution that is truly committed to creating the sustainability leaders of the future? And even if they major in psychology, or liberal arts, they will be learning how to live more sustainably. I salute the vision that the folks at Penn State have... and hope to remain engaged as an ally to help them achieve it...

Life Calling

Life Calling

My life is a journey, destination unknown.
My path is revealed only as far as I can see,
Yet more often than not, I choose its direction.

I navigate my path thoughtfully,
with deliberate choices grounded in values and guided by intuition.
Even when faced with unexpected circumstances,
I choose my path, by choosing my reaction.

I choose to live in love, optimism, faith, beauty, warmth.
I choose spontaneity, nature, deep conversations, dreams.
I choose passion, risk, change, color.
I choose light, music, texture, spice.
I laugh, I cry, I experience, I give.
I nurture myself to be strong.

Sometimes my path is clear and my journey is effortless.
I savor these times, gathering strength,
languishing in bounty.

On rare occasions, my path seems blocked,
weather clouds my vision and dampens my spirit.
I trudge on in faith,
overcoming obstacles, trusting the sky to clear.
Sometimes I seek temporary shelter
and wait out the storm.

I believe God nurtures me in ways I cannot fully understand.
His grace is at work within me, and He walks with me.

I am a beam of light and many choose to walk with me,
warmed by my love, nurtured by my strength,
trusting my integrity, enrolled by my spirit,
stretched by my pace, comforted by my touch.
I am blessed by their presence.
I am supported, I am loved.
I am thankful.

On certain segments of my journey, I have chosen to follow others,
nurtured by their spirit and love,
Guided by their wisdom.
I am thankful.

I walk with increasing purpose,
as I reflect on whom I have become,
and how my journey has enriched me.
My need to help others choose their paths
becomes ever stronger,
like a calling.

I see possibilities ahead that are exciting.
Mountains to climb that are more challenging
than any behind me.

I will choose the climb that calls me,
perhaps joining with others
so we can forge a new path,
that becomes a lighted way for others
drawn to higher ground.

Melissa O'Mara
Written February 18th, 2003
CTI Fulfillment Class
Dallas, Texas

Copyright 2003