Fostering Sustainable Behavior

Articles: Coming Soon

The transition to sustainability requires effective programs to encourage a diverse array of behaviors, such as those that lower CO2 emissions, reduce waste, increase energy and water efficiency or alter transportation patterns. This journal was launched to assist those who design and implement these programs. Its purpose is simple: to provide practical information that will improve environmental program design and delivery. The Journal of Fostering Sustainable Behavior (JFSB) accepts three types of articles: 1) Strategies; 2) Programs in Practice; and 3) Theoretical and Methods-based pieces. Each are described below.

Each JFSB strategy article will focus on one specific behavioral change, such as the installation by householders of high efficiency shower heads. Articles will be organized in four sections. Sections include a detailed description of the behavior and why it is important, what is presently known regarding the barriers and benefits to the target audience engaging in the behavior, a review of programs to foster the behavioral change, and a suggested program to foster the behavioral change (including how to pilot test and evaluate the proposed program).

Programs in Practice includes two types of articles: Case Studies and Progam Overviews. A Case Study article will highlight a single program that has been successfully implemented and evaluated. The program will be described in detail, from the initial planning stages, to implementation, to evaluation. Sections will cover barrier and benefit research, community engagement and communication, behavior change strategies, evaluation methods and results (including, where possible, return on investment).

Program Overviews will summarize a variety of programs targeting a specific behavior. Overview articles will explore the history and diversity of such programs, give examples of current programs around the world, examine the impact of such programs in their communities, and discuss key obstacles that must be overcome to make programs successful.

Theoretical and methods-based articles should focus on critically analyzing and or providing insights into one component of community-based social marketing. Examples include conducting an analysis of the research literature related to the use of commitments as a behavioral change strategy or comparing various theoretical approaches to social marketing. These articles should build on existing theories and frameworks and/or the process of developing and implementing behavior change strategies.

Articles submitted to JFSB will be subjected to blind peer review. Subsequent to acceptance for publication, articles will be copy edited to ensure a high level of readability by a non-academic audience. Accepted articles will be published here. To ensure broad dissemination, each article will be announced via the Fostering Sustainable Behavior Daily Digest (this digest currently reaches a global audience of over 7000 environmental program planners daily).

Each JFSB article will reside on a unique page of this site and will have thier own discussion thread. That is, the JFSB will be fostering online learning communities where academics and practitioners can dialogue with one another regarding the promotion of sustainable behavior.

Download the call for papers here
Download article writing guidelines