A while ago, Volkswagon posed a challenge to the public asking for entries for their “Fun Theory Award“. The award is for simple, easy and fun ideas to change people’s behaviour for the better.
One of the winners, is the Speed Camera Lottery, system that awards people who maintain the speed limit through entering them into a lottery. The lottery is funded by speeders who receive fines if driving over the limit. Every so often people who have obeyed the speed limit may just win some of the money in the pot (although if people wanted to rig the system, they could repeatedly drive around the block to be entered multiple times).
From the beginning, Green Thing has always been about fun. Making messages of climate change something that people would like to do, rather than ought to do. This “Fun Theory” concept by Volkswagon really resonates with us and is something we do in all of our activities as it targets behavioural changes through enjoyment.
Getting people to adhere to the speed limit not only increases public safety and creates cyclist and pedestrian friendly streets, but it also reduces fuel consumption and emissions. Let’s hope that we see ideas like the Speed Camera Lottery come to life beyond just ads for Volkswagon ;)
(Spotted on Treehugger)
Katherine Hui is currently the Social site editor at Green Thing, a web-based public service in London that inspires people to lead greener lives through creative content.
Before this, she worked as the Development Manager at Social Innovation Camp, an organization that encourages people to use web and mobile-based technology to mobilise social change. She oversaw 300 ideas submission and helped build 20 prototypes – five of which have gone on to get further funding or investment.
Katherine’s came over to the UK form Canada in 2007 for an MSc program at the London School of Economics. Before arriving in London, she managed a small environmental start-up in Vancouver called the Canadian Climate Change Alliance.
Katherine is football mad. She is a loyal supporter of Arsenal FC, plays for Islington Borough Ladies FC and coaches for Gunners in Islington in her spare time. Her second favourite hobby is kite surfing and she can sometimes be found chasing the wind.
