Behavior Change Program to Reduce Greenhouse Emissions - Research Proposal Example

BEHAVIOR CHANGE PROGRAM TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS Behavior Change Program to Reduce Greenhouse Emissions Student name: Student number: Lecturer: Dates: Introduction In Australia, the generation of electricity has progressed over the years. However, the country’s energy sector has not achieved global standards in terms of environmental conservation. The problem is more pronounced in the state of Victoria, where the major utilities are brown-coal-fired power stations. The stations, which are located in the LaTrobe Valley, have very low carbon efficiency. This is confirmed by the Hazelwood Power Station which is the leading power station globally in terms of least carbon efficient; these stations destroy the environment in one way or another. Reduction of the power usage in one or another shall substantially reduce the harm to the environment. The State Victoria is the most densely populated state in Australia. Power consumption in the state is relatively higher than the other states in the country. The city of Melbourne has in most been the country’s choice of telecommunication industries. The state has an immense telecommunication potential with telecommunication capability, excellent infrastructure, highly-skilled and innovative workforce and favorable working environment. Melbourne is ahead in the country’s telecommunication and technological industry with more that eight thousand companies, accounting for more than a quarter of the nation’s Information Communication Technology revenue and employment. Several companies decide on Melbourne as the hub for their Information Communication Technology, activities one such company is the Telstra Telecommunication’s Company. Background Information In the Melbourne office of the company, there is a problem due to a wastefulness of electricity behavior. Several employees leave the electronic devices including heaters, lights, computing devices and other machines on even when they do not need them. It is not uncommon to find security lights on, even during the day. In the company, there is high percentage of wasted electricity. The power loss due to unneeded consumption is more than thirty percent of the total electricity consumed. Considering that the energy consumed is from fossil fuels which pollute the environment, there is need to change power usage behavior. There are several benefits that shall be realized from the staff changing the power consumption behavior. Benefits include avoiding environmental pollution, since with less power consumed; there shall be reduced need to burn more coal by the brown-coal-fired power stations, hence resulting to better environment. The behavior change shall also serve in enhancing the company’s corporate image Glasser & Dotson, (1998). The company shall be viewed possibly in terms on environmental conservation. Furthermore, the change shall enable the company to save on costs, which have been previously used to pay for wasted power. Research Objective The behavior change program is to gather, analyze, and present the information necessary for the reduction of power consumption at Telstra, Melbourne offices, using behavior change programs as part of Conservation Improvement Program (CIP) efforts. The aim is therefore assist the company to accelerate energy savings from changes in office energy-use behavior, hence reducing destruction of the environment due to electricity consumption. The program goes beyond utility company methods of spurring energy savings by seeking to offer information and feedback to influence the employee’s motivations related to the utilization of energy at the company’s offices in particular and in their daily lives in general. The program enables the employees to understand better how their actions impact on the power consumption, and how the consumption results to the destruction of the environments. Behavior Change Programs The behavior change programs are important constructs towards effective corporate wellness. The behavior change program is intentioned to be a paradigm shift in the way the staff deal with electricity consumption and as well produce long-term change. The design of the behavior change programs is sustained with effective support systems including personal follow-up and concrete incentives. The change program is designed in considering the employee’s past experiences and the current participation in power conservation. These behaviors are important indicators in predicting how likely the people can change their behaviors. Employee’s good attitudes and positive past experiences likely suggest possibility of behavior modification. The program considers that persons their behaviors because of extrinsic or intrinsic motivation factors. Intrinsic motivation is based on an individual performing and action due to their own volition to do so. Intrinsically motivated persons change for their own benefit. The program also considers extrinsically motivating factors where persons change their behavior due to a presence of an incentive Behavior Changes Desired. The desired behavior change is for the employees to be responsible and use the available means to reduce the power consumption in the company. The desired behavior is responsible power usage, and self driven morale to ensure that there is no power shortage, through actions such as switching off unnecessary lights, using non power intensive devices and machinery such as power saving bulbs, switching off computers and other devices when they are not being used and unplugging devices not in use Hole, (2004). To realize this, several variables are considered, such as attitudes, knowledge, and self efficacy, locus of control, intent interest and type of environment as presented by Christopher and Julie, (2004). The desired behavior shall be achieved through intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of the employees. This is achieved through increased and targeted education of the employees, as well as offering motivational rewards Shipworth, (2000). This is to enable the employees make greenhouse-friendly choices, enhance such choices being realized and institute social standards that emphasize these choices. To achieve behavior change, some programs and solutions shall be implemented, to ensure that the employees change their behavior to appreciate energy saving. These measured include direct feedback programs that offer real-time feedback to the employees on their electricity use. The intervention is realized through having devices which can interface with the company’s machines. Indirect feedback is also a measure, where the company’s staff is provided periodic data on their power usage. An alternative is to use computerized systems, which automatically save power, but since the systems are still in one way or another controlled by human beings, a system based approach, works as a subsidiary, but not the primary means of energy saving. Barriers to sustainable Behavior For the behavioral change program to achieve success, it is imperative that the relevant barriers for the target group are implicit so that they can be effectively addressed by the change process. A barrier can be in the form of unfair imposition caused by attempting behavior change without appreciating the individual’s situation. This is more likely to cause negative response to the change messages, as well as reactance where persons are more likely to reject the message later, hence jeopardizing the attainment of sustainable behavior. Factors which may be barriers to sustainable behavior include lack of agency, low perception of personal action, or insufficiency of sense in personal control. This is a barrier where an individual casts doubts about the consequences of their actions. The persons expected to adopt power saving behavior may perceive that their actions as individuals may not significantly have environmental consequences Willingness to act is also a barrier. These barriers results from certain proportion of the employees will always be unwilling to change, even when they are well versed with the need to change Edwards, (2000). Norms and habits which correspond with Triandis’ social factors is also a barrier, where the persons expected to act on power saving the in the company are influenced by the behavior of others. Low level behaviors are also a barrier, where habitual behaviors discussed suggested by Triandis. Convenience is also a barrier, where a person may not proceed practicing the sustainable behavior if it is a source of inconvenience to them. Theoretical models There are various theoretical models that can be put in place to achieve the desired change. A great percentage of modern theories of behavior change endeavor to comprehend the way exterior surroundings coalesce with individually internal factors internal so as to determine their behavior. The most appropriate model is the Triandis’ Theory of Interpersonal Behavior, which argues that behavior is a consequence of three factors: intention, habits, and facilitating conditions. These factors are themselves outputs of several other factors. The Triandis’ model of behavior change is an appropriate theoretical model, behavior influences other factors that establish continuing behavior, in addition the factors cross influence each other Icek (2005). The model furthermore fits well when tested against tools of various behavior change approaches. The imperative considerations in the model are habits, intentions, external conditions, and capacity, as graphically represented below. Tools and Resources to achieve the change There are various types of employees whose input in the behavior change program are appropriate. There are various tools and resources which are requisite for the attainment of the change. Tools are defined as the means and ways of overcoming the identified barriers. There are simple tools, which shall as informational, such as stickers to remind the employees about the need to conserve energy. As illustrated by the behavior model demonstrates, there are distinct yet related areas which can be addressed by the behavior change tools, namely Capacity, External Conditions, Intention and Habit as presented by Mark, (2009).. Reciprocation is a tool which is used to appreciate positive performance by a member of staff in terms of reduction in power consumption. This is derived from the principle of persuasion the employees should however, be made aware that the reciprocation is meant as an appreciation, not a bribe as presented by David, (1996). The reciprocation shall be in terms of incentives. Commitment and consistency is also a tool. The concerned stakeholders have to be committed to the energy saving principle. This is supported by the cognitive dissonance. The tool involves eliciting commitment, for people to change their attitudes to be consistent with their behaviors. Social proof is also a tool founded on the intuitive notion individuals are increasingly likely to conform to a required, if they perceive that other persons they identify with are doing the same. Other tools include liking, authority, education, scarcity and prompts. The group intents to use the models and tools to develop training programs aimed at educating the employees. Furthermore, the tools shall be used to develop responsive and customized approaches such as incentives for the concerned persons. The theories and tools shall also be used in ensuring the sustainability of the program through continuous follow up. This are envisioned towards reducing unnecessary power consumption, hence protecting the environment Charles, (2002).. Implementation Timetable Duration Activity Performance Measure 1 Week Problem Identification This shall be evaluated through understanding of the problem of wastage in electricity utilization, by the employees 2 Weeks Data gathering This shall be evaluated through the percentage amount of data concerning the company’s electricity utilization is availed including the percentage of wastage as well as the impacts on the environment 2 Weeks Current behavior identification Amount of data collected concerning the current behavior and attitudes 1 Week Objective description of the target behavior The level of description of the desired behavior 2 weeks Identify a baseline (aka operant level) for the behavior. The level of understanding of the baseline 4 week Knowledge impacting through employee education Number of employees familiar with the need to conserve energy 1 Week Approval Number of employees appreciating the need for behavior change 4 Weeks Implementation and Motivation Actual Behavior change among employees in the company Continuous Practice Total energy conserved due to actual change of the behavior Continuous Advocacy Percentage of persons who stick to the behavior after a given period of time . References: Charles, C. (2002). Building classroom discipline. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Christopher Armitage and Julie Christian. (2004). Planned behavior: the relationship between human thought and action. London: Transaction Publishers. David S. Gochman. (1997). Handbook of health behavior research. London: Springer. Edwards, C. (2000). Classroom discipline and management. New York: Wiley. Glasser, W. & Dotson, K. (1998). Choice theory in the classroom. New York: HarperCollins. Hole, K (2004) Community Education Programs for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions prepared for Sydney Coastal Councils Group, Rockdale City Council and the Institute of Environmental Studies, UNSW, Sydney http://www.ies.unsw.edu.au/partnerships/pdfs/K_Hole_Paper.pdf accessed May,2011 Icek Ajzen (2005). Attitudes, personality and behavior. New York : McGraw-Hill International. Mark Cameron Edberg. (2009). Essential readings in health behavior: theory and practice. Maynard: Jones & Bartlett Learning Shipworth, M (2000) Motivating Home Energy Action - A Handbook of What Works Australian Greenhouse Office http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/local/motivating/index.html accessed May,2011 Read More