Environmentally friendly transport is easy – tourists just need to ‘spit’

New study in Boundaries in Communication has shown the powerful effect that nudges and messages can have on motivating people to display socially deserving behavior. Travelers spotted on the Indonesian island of Gili Trawangan, a popular tourist destination, were more likely to display environmentally conscious activities, such as refusing a plastic bag or avoiding contact. with a coral reef, when they were ‘pushed’ towards the desired action. with written or face-to-face interaction. The researchers found that any intervention, whether in a positive or negative framework, was enough to get people to make environmentally conscious decisions, as opposed to not having to receiving behavioral issues or messages. The study provides many handy restaurants that are easily implemented by tourists or tourism businesses, at low cost, to increase environmental stewardship and encourage positive behavior in their customers.

While many of us feel a responsibility to exhibit environmentally conscious behaviors and to possess the knowledge we need to perform these actions, we are often under the burden of a number of obstacles- barrier, which the researchers define as the ‘functional gap’. Dr Katherine Nelson, who led the study in partnership with the Gili Eco Trust, explains:

“The gap between knowledge and action exists because it’s much easier to think of a particular way than it is to behave consistently in that way – but a closer look can help us relieve part of the intellectual burden that lies on our brains when we are in a complex environment. “

To try to close this gap, the researchers established conditions for tourists in two real situations – when a plastic bag is offered at a convenience store, and when they receive a briefing before a snorkeling trip. The researchers monitored the differences in people’s behavior based on whether a person faced a written or face-to-face interaction either with a positive message clarifying positive outcomes, or a negative message focusing on the negative consequences of a particular action.

The study showed that the presence of a ‘nudge’ or cue to a particular behavior was sufficient to encourage people to behave in more environmentally conscious ways, regardless of the rejection of a plastic bag while them at the convenience store or making sure they keep a safe distance from turtles. when on a snorkeling trip – it didn’t matter if this message was constructed positively or negatively.

“Our study highlights that intervention can lead to better decisions by simply drawing attention to an issue – by taking a small view, we can overcome the barriers. is able to reduce access and make environmental behavior easier. “

The results offer important insights into the effectiveness of simple messaging as a practical way to motivate people toward environmentally conscious behavior. The tourism sector in particular has great potential to use these approaches and make pro-environmental behavior a simple option to reduce local impacts.

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