Going greener is easier when it's fun
Tue, Oct 13 2009 at 5:26 PM EST
Read more: GREEN LIVING, RECYCLING
Photo: afu007 I hate it when I fall in love with an advertising campaign.
Volkswagen had me at hello with their new Fun Theory campaign, which so far consists of a couple of very smart, very fun videos showing how people can be made to change their behavior through the power of fun.
In this video they turned stairs running next to an escalator into a huge piano, ala Big. The number of people choosing the stairs over the escalator soared.
In this one, they installed a little gadgetry inside a trash bin that made it sound like anything thrown into it was falling down a deep, deep well. That trash bin collected a lot more over the course of the day than the regular bins.
The Theory of Fun got me thinking about the environment. Saving the environment from ourselves is going to require a lot of behavior modification on the part of all of us lucky enough to live a modern first world life. Some of the changes are simple things like not leaving your faucet running while you brush your teeth or shave. Others things like composting, reducing meat consumption, and using more public transportation take more commitment and adjustment.
Wouldn't it be easier to commit to living a greener life if it was more fun?
One example I can pull from my own life is the electric bikes that I've been pedaling around on all summer. If bikes are fun, electric bikes are WAY more fun. It's exciting to zip around town on them, having that extra electric assisted oomph makes the whole thing more fun. I love having to jump on my two wheels to run errands or go visit friends. It's made giving up my car a lot easier.
The Fun Theory is working on a new experiment to make recycling more fun.
I can't wait.
What are some other examples of fun being used to make greener easier?
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Easily amused
What an absolute delight. I'm smiling all the way inward and hope I can bring that same kind of simple joy to future behavior greening projects of my own. Now ... who do I know that's an electrician?