Rewarding Green Householders

The Rewarding Green Householders pilot project explored how effective a range of incentives were in encouraging householders to adopt 'greener' lifestyles - driven forward by Community Champions. We worked with Champions from two wards within the London Borough of Ealing - chosen for the strong support received from both the local authority and the community partners, including West Twyford Resident’s Association and Park Royal Partnership.

Key selling point of the scheme to the residents:

Project Activities:

• Community Give and Take Day to encourage residents to reuse and recycle their unwanted household items.
• Advocacy campaign led by Community Champions who have been trained in social marketing techniques and supported to deliver talks and informal ‘workshops’ (such as coffee evenings) with their neighbours and local church congregation.
• A competition giving prizes for the best performing household and most innovative practice. Prizes such as increased provision of, and/or upgraded street furniture, plus individual prizes such as sustainable hampers, eco-kettles, and solar powered lighting for the garden.

Key Results and Outcomes:

• During 2007 three Community Champions Vijay Amin, Bindu Amin and Madeline Cotter actively worked within the West Twyford community to promote residents to take up more sustainable lifestyles.
• The Champions, along with the LSx team, distributed leaflets to 750 households, community centres, the Church and other common spaces in the area.
• 100 householders also received Sustainability Starter Kits to enable them to take on greener practices; introducing participants to cycle routes, pink garden waste bags and a greater awareness of water and electricity saving issues.
• Activities such as the Give and Take Day held in March saw residents both 'giving' and 'taking'; reusing and recycling unwanted items.

Project Successes and Lessons Learned:

• Follow-up surveys indicated that that changes in behaviour had occurred as the result of the project, with responses indicating that the Starter Kits were largely instrumental in changing behaviour as they encouraged and enabled participants to take immediate action.
• Community Champions were also highly influential factors as they reinforced the effectiveness of the other incentives.
• Prizes were awarded for the Best Household and the Most Innovative Practice. Nominations were based on recommendations from Community Champions as well as survey results to monitor behaviour change. Finalists were then asked to submit a case study on how the project motivated them to adopt more sustainable lifestyles.

Colin McKenzie of Brentmead Gardens won the 1st prize for the 'Best Household'. He said: "This scheme has made me much more aware of the things I can do to reduce my carbon footprint. I tried collecting the water that usually goes to waste while you wait for it to get hot or cold, and this turned out to be a lot, and I've been getting into good recycling habits."

Zeina Zein of Spencer Close won the category for 'Most Innovative Practice'. She said: "The starter-kits introduced me to cycle routes, pink garden waste bags and more awareness of water and electricity saving issues. I am now willing to buy the pink bags although I wasn't before. I am recycling every single piece of paper, carton and glass. I'm really glad we can recycle plastics too now."

The prize winners are:
'Best Household'                           'Most Innovative Practice'
1st prize - Colin McKenzie               1st prize - Zeina Zein
2nd prize - Claire Midson                  2nd prize - Vitra Sookoo
3rd prize - Phillipe Calliste                3rd prize - Clair McIntyre