EARTH DAY

Behavior Analysis and Environmental Sustainability

Rather than highlight one particular person, this Earth Day we wanted to highlight a lesser known subspecialty of Applied Behavior Analysis: Behavior Analysis in Environmental Sustainability.  

In 1987, B.F. Skinner himself posed the question, why are we not acting to save the world? 

Today, there are behavior analysts conducting research in sustainability and collaborating with experts and policy makers to improve sustainable practices in a variety of areas. Some well-known behavior analysts doing this work include William L Heward, probably best known for the publication of Applied Behavior Analysis with John Cooper and Tim Heron; Scott E. Gellar, author of Preserving the Environment: New Strategies for Behavior Change; and Anthony Biglan, author of The Nurture Effect: How the Science of Human Behavior Can Improve Our Lives and Our World. 

There are also various behavior analysis organizations dedicated to sustainability and social responsibility:

• Behaviorist for Social Responsibility, https://bfsr.abainternational.org/ - The mission of Behaviorists for Social Responsibility (BFSR) is to act to expand applications of behavior analysis and cultural analysis addressing social issues, particularly those with social justice, human rights, and environmental implications.
• Coalition of Behavior Science Organizations: Climate Change Task Force, http://bsciclimate.org/ - The Coalition believes that behavior science is the most powerful agent for mitigating the threats imposed by a warming climate. Our mission is to harness the power of behavior science to cultivate a world composed of sustainable, nurturing communities that provide resources for all. 
• New England Behavior Analysts for Sustainability, https://www.sustainabilitynewengland.org/blog - A group of Behavioral Scientists on a mission to save the world.