Presentation made Feb.8, 2014 at the Interaction14 conference in Amsterdam.

1. @ABirt
hat
t...w
bu
do??
an I
c
Climate change. Air pollution. Loss of Biodiversity. Prejudice. Water
Quality. CO2. Inequality. Social Injustice. Child Labor. Unsafe
drinking water. Global Warming. Topsoil erosion. Desertification.
Poverty. Human rights abuses. Oil Spills. Natural Disasters.
The Visual Emotional
Globalization. Unemployment. Rainforest destruction. Loss of
cultural Vocabulary labor. Corruption. Chemical spills. Water
heritage. Slave of Sustainability
scarcity. Radioactive waste. Working conditions. Nuclear
contamination. Loss of the polar ice caps. Endangered species
extinction. Drought. Inhumane working conditions. resource conflict.
[
]

2. Definition:
“Sustainable development is development that
meets the needs meets the needs of the
present without
compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs.”
Brundtland Commission
of the United Nations, 1987

3. Sustainability: the ability to endure.

4. Design for Sustainability:
Concept
Process
Material
Communication

5. Design for Sustainability:
Concept
Process
Material
Communication

6. A Lot to Communicate
Climate change. Air pollution. Loss of Bio
Quality. CO2. Inequality. Social Injust
drinking water. Global Warming. Topso
Poverty. Human rights abuses. Oil
Globalization. Unemployment. Rainfor
cultural heritage. Slave labor. Corruptio
scarcity. Radioactive waste. Worki
contamination. Loss of the polar ice c
extinction. Drought. Inhumane working co

7. Supply Chain
CSR
sourcemap.com
CO2
LCA

8. Info alone is not enough.
“the diversity of barriers which exist for any
sustainable activity means that information
campaigns alone will rarely bring
about behavior change.”
Doug McKenzieMohr, author

9. Need to Engage Emotions.
“Facts and information don’t
activate
the emotional centers of our
brain that cause us to take action.”
Deanna Zandt, author

10. Connection

11. “Human behavior flows from three main sources:
desire, emotion, and knowledge.”
Plato

12. “Human behavior flows from three main sources:
desire, emotion, and knowledge ”
knowledge.
Plato

13. A Lot to Communicate
Climate change. Air pollution. Loss of Bio
Quality. CO2. Inequality. Social Injust
drinking water. Global Warming. Topso
Poverty. Human rights abuses. Oil
Globalization. Unemployment. Rainfor
cultural heritage. Slave labor. Corruptio
scarcity. Radioactive waste. Worki
contamination. Loss of the polar ice c
extinction. Drought. Inhumane working co

14. Challenges:
•
•
•
human constraints
previous strategies (shame game)
info overload
Opportunities:
•
•
•
vivid visuals
in-context
individual

15. Metrics,
Data,
Info
Visual,
Emotional
Storytelling

16. Challenges
to Establishing Emotional Connection
(in order to change behavior)

17. Challenge:
Human Constraints

18. Challenge:
Human Constraints
concept:
Stephen Covey

19. Global Warming melts polar ice ->
polar bars left homeless

20. Concern for cute,
fuzzy creatures
concept: Stephen Covey

21. Concern for cute,
fuzzy creatures
Percieved
inability to
do anything
about it
concept: Stephen Covey

22. hat
t...w
bu
do??
an I
c
Climate change. Air pollution. Loss of Biodiversity. Prejudice. Water
Quality. CO2. Inequality. Social Injustice. Child Labor. Unsafe
drinking water. Global Warming. Topsoil erosion. Desertification.
Poverty. Human rights abuses. Oil Spills. Natural Disasters.
Globalization. Unemployment. Rainforest destruction. Loss of
cultural heritage. Slave labor. Corruption. Chemical spills. Water
Challenge:
scarcity. Radioactive waste. Working conditions. Nuclear
Info Overload the polar ice caps. Endangered species
contamination. Loss of
extinction. Drought. Inhumane working conditions. resource conflict.

23. ycle.
to rec
forgot
just...
I
onest.
H
Challenge:
Emotional Baggage: Shame = Shutdown

24. Opportunities
Vivid Visual, In-Context, Individual

25. Vivid Visuals

26. Inspiring attention:
“Vivid, concrete and personalized”
information inspires attention and increases
the likelihood of the information being
recalled later.
Doug McKenzieMohr, author

27. Inspiring attention:
“Vivid, concrete and personalized”
information inspires attention and increases
the likelihood of the information being
recalled later.
Info that is remembered is more likely to
have a lasting impact on our
attitudes and behavior.
Doug McKenzieMohr, author

28. Vivid:
“producing a strong or clear impression on
the senses : sharp, intense; specifically :
producing distinct mental images.”

29. photo: manaphy0930
photo: misterperturbed

30. Story produces clear mental images.

31. Sainte-Chapelle (Paris) window #14: Kings I II, Solomon I II

32. Benefits of Visual Storytelling
Engages people
• Encourages memorization
• Communicates context
• Avoids people ‘putting up defenses’
•

33. “[Cartoons are about] condensing info so it can
be transmitted and ‘unpacked’ in your mind.”
Scott McCloud
(comic guru)

34. “Words make division,
pictures make connection”
Otto Neurath
(isotype designer)

35. 65% Visual Learners
of the population are

36. Tool for Education
Help people learn what ‘sustainability’ is by showing the
context; people can start to recognize the patterns.

37. Source: ecolabelling.org

41. Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1/2 cup (144g)
Servings Per Container 4
productBiographic.com
Green, ethical and local
benefits of this product
throughout its life cycle.
Amount Per Serving
Calories 260 Calories from Fat 120
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g
Saturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 30mg
Sodium 660mg
Total Carbohydrate 31g
Dietary Fiber 0g
Sugars 5g
Protein 5g
Vitamin A 4% ï
Calcium 15% ï
20%
25%
10%
28%
10%
0%
Fair Trade CERTIFIED
+ human rights
+ fair wage
Organic CERTIFIED
+ clean water
+ clean soil
PROCESSING
Local
+ economy
PACKAGING
Vitamin C 2%
Iron 4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000
calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher
or lower depending on your calorie needs:
2,500
Calories: 2,000
80g
Less than 65g
Total Fat
25g
Less than 20g
Sat Fat
300mg
Cholesterol Less than 300mg
Less than 2,400mg 2,400mg
Sodium
375g
300g
Total Carbohydrate
30g
25g
Dietary Fiber
Calories per gram:
Fat 9 ï Carbohydrate 4
CULTIVATION
ï
Protein 4
Quick Bagging
+ freshness
DISTRIBUTION
Local
+ economy
+ air
USE
Organic
+ health
DISPOSAL
Compostable
+ reduced waste
3rd-party certified ecolabel

43. The Sustainability
Communication Problem:
a missing link
Green
Ethical
Local
CSR
Consumers need information
to make good decisions.
Reporting of product information
has been ineffective.

44. In-Context

45. Connect the ‘every-day’
to ‘the-big-picture’

47. Prius monitor

48. Västra Hamnen
Behind-the-Scenes of Sustainability
MEDEA Artist Residency, Malmö, Sweden, 2010

50. http://youtu.be/1HtT_rBrlSw

51. Individual

52. image: The New York Times
Sacramento Municipal Utility District

54. Message to guest:
A. Help
the hotel save energy
B. Partner
with us to help the
environment
C. Almost
D. 75%
75% of guests reuse towels
of the guests who stayed
in this room reuse towels
Towel reuse:
16%
31%
44%
49%
Sources: Study by Noah J. Goldstein, Vladas Griskevicius, Robert B. Cialdini of Arizona State University; AOL

55. Project sponsored by MN Center for Energy and Environment, Minneapolis.

56. Project sponsored by MN Center for Energy and Environment, Minneapolis.

57. Project sponsored by MN Center for Energy and Environment, Minneapolis.

58. Project sponsored by MN Center for Energy and Environment, Minneapolis.

61. if
=
+
then use vivid visuals;
in-context &
individual.

62. More info:
Behavior-changing campaigns:
Basic Sustainability:
Systems-Thinking:
by Michael Braungart
by Donella Meadows
by Doug McKenzie-Mohr

63. Behavior-changing campaigns:
Basic Sustainability:
Systems-Thinking:
by Michael Braungart
by Donella Meadows
by Doug McKenzie-Mohr
Thanks!
Arlene Birt | arlene@arlenebirt.com
www.backgroundstories.com
@ABirt