%0 Journal Article
%T Spreading the Eco-Message: Using Proactive Coping to Aid Eco-Rep Behavior Change Programming
%A Brittany Bloodhart
%A Janet K. Swim
%A Matthew J. Zawadzki
%J Sustainability
%D 2013
%I MDPI AG
%R 10.3390/su5041661
%X Making pro-environmental behavior changes can be difficult, particularly when these changes challenge daily routines and comfortable lifestyles. We designed and implemented an eco-representative intervention program to help students reduce their energy use by proactively coping with barriers to pro-environmental behavior change, and then communicate effective behavior change strategies to student peers. Twenty-nine first-year college students participated in a four-week proactive coping training to change five environmentally impactful behaviors and then spread behavior change messages to fellow residents during a two-week energy challenge. Eco-reps successfully changed their own behaviors in a pro-environmental direction by generating important barriers and successful facilitators for behavior change, and eco-rep residence halls were more likely to reduce energy and maintain reductions compared to non-eco-rep halls. Implications for future environmental behavior change interventions are discussed.
%K eco-teams
%K proactive coping
%K pro-environmental behavior change
%K student intervention programs
%K residence hall competition
%U http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/5/4/1661