Mary Campbell, Pinellas County Extension Director and Urban Sustainability Agent

How many times have you forgotten those reusable bags before you went to the grocery store? Making a new green practice part of our daily routine takes more than just understanding the positive impacts of that practice. Research shows us that knowledge alone does not change behavior. Don’t we all have firsthand knowledge of that fact when we struggle to put into practice those healthy lifestyle practices that tons of research shows improves our quality of life. That is what the Check Your Green Commitment is all about. It is a piece of the puzzle to making a commitment stick for a new green practice. When we put into writing our commitment to make a behavior change, we are much more likely to follow through on that behavior change. It just works!

Pinellas County Extension is launching our next generation of commitments. We have kept is simple, with just three commitments each in four categories: At Home, At Work, On the Road and For Kids. You can select one or more new practice, select your choice to implement that practice and let that commitment begin to work its magic. If you have already implemented all the commitments we offer now, there will be a whole new set in about six months. Thank you to all those who responded to our follow-up evaluation on the last commitments. 100% of the participants who responded reported that the commitment has improved both the implementation of a new practice and the frequency of practices that they committed to. That is a pretty good record for those who used this as a tool for change. Click the above image to go directly to the new pledge.

The commitments will be located right on the front page of the Sustainable Living web page at Pinellas County Extension. They are easy to find and easy to take. Also on this page , you will find some interesting green facts, a new green interactive game and an evaluation to take after you have implemented your new practice (preferably at about three months after you take the pledge). So don’t let the common barriers to changing to green practices – forgetfulness and inconvenience – side track your efforts. Break down those barriers one at a time and more forward to a more sustainable lifestyle. Let us know what you think are some of the most troublesome barriers to change. We have over 1,000 people who have already taken the pledge – try it and see how it works for you.

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