Keeping up with the Joneses

By Marcus Hobley

I live next door to Mr Smith. He seems like a kind gentleman, and some would say an admirable citizen. We have our rubbish collected on a Tuesday morning. Come 6pm on Monday evening I can’t help but catch a glimpse of Mr Smith placing his week’s waste on his doorstep. The man operates like clockwork. As he wheels his bin down the drive, it is clear to see he has separated his paper and plastics into the appropriate recycling boxes provided by the local council.

We all know that addressing climate change is a huge challenge – but how many of us look to our peers for guidance on how we might live our lives?

I ask because, clearly, tackling the the way we live as individuals is crucial in our bid to stem climate change – and that will require a significant shift in our behaviour.

But history teaches us that simply forcing people to change their behaviour will not only be met with resistance – with the civil liberties baton duly waved – but that it may also be counter-productive.

The politics of public behaviour is a taboo subject, but when we are forced or tripped guiltily into acting in a certain way, conclusions are fairly drawn about the emergence of an over-protective or over-bearing nanny state.

What we need to do, then, is to each focus on the psychology of our own behavioural economics (following the lead by others) and to look not to the state but to ourselves – so we can each help make the real changes needed for a greener, more sustainable world that can be enjoyed by future generations.

Labour can learn a simple lesson from this: a nagging nanny may only frustrate or infuriate, but there are people out there whose lifestyles are already in tune with the urgent call of our time, and who should be highlighted and celebrated.

I’ve always been a little lazy when it comes to such things, but I’m going to make more of an effort from now on. If Mr Smith can take the time to separate his recyclables each week, then I guess it’s about time I did too.