Make the world a better place
Joe Kelly has challenged himself to one change each month for a year — and he started by taking the stairs
How can you make the world a better place? This isn’t a question that normally comes to mind when taking an elevator. Yet, for me, it led to my “Aha” moment.
Like many, I consider myself to be socially conscious and environmentally concerned. In fact, I teach and consult in the sustainability field. I help people understand and take action on environmental and social issues.
Despite my green values, two years ago I had formed the embarrassing habit of taking the elevator three floors to get to my office on campus. I had always silently cursed low- floor elevator users in the past. Now, I had become one of them. Given my selfprofessed concern for the environment, I found it quite troubling that I had failed the simple task of choosing the stairs.
However, research has shown there is often a discrepancy between a person’s level of concern for environmental or social issues and their propensity to act accordingly. People who say they are concerned for the environment will frequently make contradictory choices, like using plastic bags for their groceries or disposable cups for their morning coffee. Convenience often trumps altruism.
If a high level of environmental concern isn’t sufficient, how could I ditch the convenience of the elevator for the planet- saving choice of the stairs?
It struck me that I needed to reframe the question. Rather than thinking in terms of “How can I make the world a better place?” it made more sense to ask “Why should I want to make the world a better place?” Why should I want to take the stairs? Or, more bluntly, what’s in it for me?
The obvious answer is it’s good for me, but I personally find these types of motherhood claims don’t help change behaviour. I required concrete results. So, I decided to start a one- month challenge to only take the stairs while on campus and to count how many flights of stairs I climbed ( and descended).
After one month, I had taken a total of 240 flights of stairs. Using a simple online calculator, I learned I burned roughly 510 calories, or 0.15 pounds of fat, over the course of the month. This is equivalent to two coffee frappuccinos ( 240 calories each) but without the guilt.
One month is a good time frame for a new challenge because it is short enough to be doable, but long enough to form a new routine. Fast forward to today, and I’m proud to say I have continued to take the stairs day in and day out. This one small change is not only good for the environment but helps me burn approximately 4,080 calories, or 1.2 pounds of fat, a year. Now, that’s a change worth making.
Changing anything in life is hard. It involves a combination of knowledge, skills and desire. All three ingredients are necessary for making a permanent change. Consider the example of weight loss. Making the necessary changes in your life requires a good diet and exercise program ( knowledge), the ability to cook healthy meals and exercise properly ( skills), and a good reason to lose weight, say, to perform better in a sport, to reduce the risks of serious health problems, or simply to feel better about yourself ( desire).
For many of us, the major barrier for making a lasting change is desire. We often possess the knowledge and skills to make a change, but without sufficient desire it simply won’t stick. Changing a routine behaviour requires a carrot to entice us. The bigger the carrot, the more likely you will put in the work to make a new habit stick. For me, the carrot of burning 1.2 pounds of fat a year ( or two guilt- free frappuccinos a month) makes it easy to keep using the stairs. The warm and fuzzy feeling that I’m helping the planet is a bonus.
To change the world, it makes sense to focus on the carrot, to continually ask what’s in it for you. Making the world a better place should lead to a better life, not just in a big- picture kind of way but it practical one — one that is more fulfilled, healthier and happier.
To test this hypothesis, I’ve decided to dedicate a year to taking on a series of monthly challenges. I’m calling this venture Project Change. Each month, I will introduce a new challenge for improving the state of the world — either by contributing to the planet or to the community. By taking on these challenges, I will explore a central question — how does your life improve by actively trying to make the world a better place?
I believe that each of us has the capacity for causing change in the world. This doesn’t mean creating a radical sea change that will affect the course of history. But each of us can make a real, positive difference in the world through our actions and behaviours. Making choices, such as walking or biking to work, planting a garden or volunteering in your free time, can make a positive difference in the world and in your own life. Even small changes can lead to a sizable impact over the course of a year, or a lifetime.
Follow my blog as I share my adventures in creating change in the world. All feedback or comments are welcome. Better yet, join me in Project Change and share your own stories.