To make significant change for the climate, vote for a government that will change the system in which people function, rather than asking individuals to defy their own nature. This is because systemic changes, like stopping fossil fuel use, require political action.
For widespread adoption of beneficial actions, institutionalize them within systems, similar to how retirement savings are automatically withheld by employers. This helps overcome individual flaws in consistent action.
To encourage positive behaviors, make them physically easy and accessible for people, such as ensuring grocery stores with produce are within a mile of their home. This removes barriers and makes it simpler for individuals to make beneficial choices.
When addressing large problems, use ‘carrot’ messages that highlight attractive opportunities, job creation, and a vibrant new economy. This is a very effective way to get people to do the right thing by showing them attractive future possibilities.
Encourage desired behaviors by showing people that ‘most people’ are already doing it, or by comparing their actions to neighbors. Humans want to be like others, making this an effective lever for change.
To make accurate predictions about future feelings or experiences, see how people who have already done it actually feel, as their testimony is better than personal imagination. People often have an illusion of uniqueness, but human experiences are more alike than expected.
Design messages that appeal to the specific pride, identity, or biases of a target demographic to achieve significant behavioral change. This leverages existing psychological traits for impact, as seen with the ‘Don’t Mess with Texas’ campaign.
Subjugate natural responses to moral insults and prioritize addressing existential threats like climate change. This shifts focus to truly impactful problems over things that cause outrage but less real harm.
Assess threats based on their likelihood and magnitude to determine if action is warranted. This rational approach, proposed by Pascal and Fermat, helps decide which problems truly deserve attention.
Attempt to find a ‘face’ or an agent for a problem to potentially rile people up more, though its effectiveness for issues like climate change is questioned. This taps into the human tendency to respond to threats from individuals.