How to spread the word about going plastic-free (without losing your friends)

Early on in the Mind Your Plastic May Challenge, a reader expressed disappointment at the comparatively low number of participants (350) out of an area population of nearly 300,000. I’m not worried, though. Having participated in a month-long plastic-free challenge, you are our best recruiter for getting more people to join the plastic-free movement. Armed with knowledge and suggestions for leading a plastic-free lifestyle, you have the power to influence others.

Be careful, though! Not everyone is ready to embrace these ideas. Borrowing from Vanessa Van Edwards, Lead Investigator at Science of People, on how to change people’s bad behaviors, below are some tips on how to encourage others to go plastic-free without turning them off.
 
Tactics that don’t work:
Helpful: Someone in your life is doing something wrong. You think you could help them out with some advice—if only they could be more like you or do it more like you would do it, everything would be easier! “If you brought your own reusable grocery bags and shopped in the bulk section, you could drastically reduce your single-use plastic waste.”

Threatening: Fear-mongering is a tactic often used by parents, bosses and people in positions of authority. Threats can produce stress, anxiety and might ruin your friendship. “If you use plastic straws at the restaurant, you will be injuring marine life.” or, “If you don’t offer reusable plates, cups and utensils at your cookout, my family and I won’t come.”
Incentivizing: Rewards for “good” behavior might work in short run, but over time, they lose their effectiveness. “If you give up single-use plastic for the next month I will give you a prize.”

Pleading: Van Edwards says, “When we are really desperate for someone’s behavior to change, we plead with them. We beg them to change and point to a higher purpose—the future, money, religion, children.” “I am begging you to switch to reusable stainless steel containers. Think of the world you want for your grandchildren to grow up in!”
Shaming: This tactic can work, but it can also damage one’s self-esteem and trust in you. They might end up avoiding you altogether to avoid the feelings of shame. “I can’t believe you went to Cook Out again! It’s disgusting how much styrofoam comes with a meal.”

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Tactics that Do Work:

Pride: Van Edwards says, "Pride makes us want to rise to do more, it makes us feel powerful and we want to live up to the definition." If you want to change someone’s behavior make them feel proud by pointing out what is going well and praising them for what they are doing right. “Thank you for asking for ‘no straw’ at lunch. That’s a great way to cut back on single-use plastic.”
 
Togetherness: Change is easier when we have allies fighting alongside us. The movement to go plastic-free is gaining momentum, with more people taking steps to reduce single-use plastic in their lives everyday. Let your friend know she’s not alone by making change together. “Do you want to join me at this workshop on how to make your own beeswax food wraps?”

Progress: Noticing the impacts of incremental changes can be difficult, especially from close up. Van Edwards suggests setting measurable benchmarks, tracking progress towards those benchmarks and visualizing change. “You’ve been bringing your own grocery bags when you go shopping for about a month now. Let’s recycle the plastic shopping bags and see how many accumulate this next month. I bet there will be hardly any!”

Tools: Providing next steps and helpful tools can be empowering when timed correctly. Offering directives before the other tactics will almost definitely backfire. Once you’ve shown your friend that they’re doing a good job, you’re in this together and have outlined a path forward, you can provide them with some helpful tools like the Mind Your Plastic May Challenge blog with all the posts from the past month in one place.

Dawn Chávez
Executive Director
​Asheville GreenWorks