Global Action Plan meetings coming to yer town soon(???)

May 16, 2002

Imagine a Tupperware party, but for the tree-hugging set. That's the

vision, sort of, of Global Action Plan, a nonprofit organization that

is promoting the formation of EcoTeams, grassroots groups dedicated

to helping neighbors create sustainable lifestyles and livable

communities. The teams, which are currently in eight cities around

the country, meet every other week for three or four months to

discuss how to do their part for Mom Earth. The program is based on

the theory of social diffusion, which holds that people need four

months to change a habit and populations need 15 percent involvement

to create a social movement. Last year, households participating in

EcoTeams in Columbus, Ohio, cut their average garbage by 41 percent

and saved $291 through waste reduction and energy conservation. One

participant, Robin Wigney, said being part of a group made people

feel more accountable for their actions, while the support system and

shared information made it easier to make environmentally friendly

choices: " The biggest hurdle in participating in this program is

finding ways to make it convenient in your household -- because the

way our culture works, it's got to be convenient. "

straight to the source: Christian Science Monitor, Ross Atkin, 15 May 2002

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