Social Issues and Psychology:
Psychology & The Environment
Fall, 1997

   The water shortage problem on Maui has been acknowledged and the community is working on solutions. Maui has three sources of water: Iao aquifer, Wailoa Ditch, and the West Maui Mountain watershed. The Iao aquifer is being used up faster than it can replenish itself. At the current rate of consumption, Maui runs the risk of drying up the aquifer. David Craddick, the Director of Water Supply, has headed the effort to solve the water problem. There is also an informal group of citizens who have come together to find solutions. Both Craddick and the citizens group realize that there needs to be both short and long-term solutions to the problem. Find out who cares about Hawaii.

    Craddick believes that there needs to be some kind of incentive to get people to change their behaviors in water consumption. He thinks that water meters should be restricted. In doing so, he hopes that people will begin to conserve so that their water meter does not get shut off. This is an example of using negative incentives. This specific type of incentive is likely to work because it will affect everybody.

    Conformity is a very powerful incentive for getting people to change their behaviors, but the question is to get people to conform. Some settings result in high levels of conformity, while others result in low levels. One way to increase conformity is to have a group that is cohesive in beliefs, and has some type of status that can be used to help influence others (Myers, 1996). One example might be a group of celebrities appearing in an advertisement together.

    Another possible incentive is feedback. Feedback is when homeowners receive information concerning their water consumption on a regular basis. Numerous studies have shown these devices to be effective (Hayes and Cone, 1981). The feedback devices work on the assumption that the person is motivated to conserve in the first place. The feedback can lead to increased conservation efforts by showing that actual conservation is not at the desired level (Seligman, Becker, and Darley, 1981).

    If any of these incentives are to be used, there are at least four questions that will need to be considered. The first thing that needs to be asked is what will be an appropriate incentive size. How much should citizens be paid, or at what point should the water meters be shut off? The incentives need to be sufficient enough to induce change. The second question is whether or not the incentives are politically acceptable. They need to be sure that the incentive system does not anger people so that some form of political opposition rises. If that happens, it could lead to the incentive being repealed. Third, it is important to design a system that is not easily evaded. Some people, believe it or not, have found ways to tamper with their water meter so it appears that less water has been used. The fourth question that should be asked is how people should be educated so that they see the purpose of the incentive (Gardner and Stern, 1996).

    Education is a crucial part of incentives. It is very hard for people to do anything in life without a reason, and even harder for people to change their behaviors without a reason. "Conservation behaviors are a less visible part of everyday life. Their effects are spread thinly through time and space reducing any sense of immediate accomplishment" (De Young, 1993). Education can help to provide motivation during the times with little sense of accomplishment. There has been quite a bit of research done on educating people about conservation. Education can take many forms. You can educate through the mail, television, schools, and many other ways. After five weeks of water conservation programs, there has been a significant increase in the amount water saved (Buttram, Erickson, and Geller, 1983). Education does play a vital role in water conservation.

In terms of the long run, education is a solution that can be started at an early age in schools. "The strategy of targeting interventions in schools can potentially have long-term effects through educating our future citizens about water saving" (Margot, Moore, and Watson, 1994). Short-term educational strategies will most likely come in the form of television advertisements or radio advertisements. The problem with these types of advertisements is that they are less likely to make a large impact, but they have some type of influence. Another problem is these advertisements need to be constantly aired or people will forget their message.

    It is important to remember that neither education nor incentives alone will make much of a difference. Education can change attitudes and beliefs, but many barriers, both within individuals and in their social and economic environments, can keep pro-environmental attitudes from being expressed in action (Gardner and Stern, 1996). On the other hand, incentives work best in conjunction with other influencing techniques (Gardner and Stern, 1996). As stated earlier, people are more likely to change their attitudes about a situation or issue when they are well informed about the facts.