119
area highlights the importance of accounting for behavioral heterogeneity in FEW
management strategies. Different actors may have different motivations for the
decisions they make; programs and policies may, therefore, have to be tailored to
incorporate these different attitudes if they are to be successful in motivating behavioral change.
Despite the millions of dollars being spent in the Great Lakes through a combination of incentive-based programs to offset BMP implementation costs and extensive education and outreach,
4
adoption of conservation practices is largely static
over time, and water quality is not improving. It is clear that intervening more strategically to encourage more thoughtful trade-offs across time will be key to addressing this challenge. For example, many incentive-based programs that offset the
costs of cover crops do not last long enough for farmers to experience the ecological, let alone economic benefits of cover crops. This leads to just as many farmers
dropping the practice as are adding the practice on an annual basis (Wilson et al.
2019). A more effective policy would be one that extends the payments for a minimum of 5 years to ensure that the on-farm benefits can be realized (e.g., decreased
fertilizer inputs, improved yield), allowing farmers to continue the practice despite
the added cost.
4.5.2 Case Study 2: Behavioral Spillovers Among Household
FEW Consumption Behaviors
Households represent a fundamental nexus of FEW systems. More than 67% of
food calories are consumed at home (Lin and Guthrie 2012), more than 75% of
direct energy use is residential (Energy Information Administration 2018), and
more than 50% of water withdrawals go directly to households or create food and
thermoelectric power consumed by households (Dieter 2018).
As discussed in Sect. 4.3.2, there is the potential for spillover effects in FEWrelated household behaviors. Several community field experiments provide examples of spillover effects. For example, following a Welsh policy charging a plastic
shopping bag fee, Thomas et al. (2016) observed positive spillover from increased
use of reusable bags to sustainable transportation choices and home water and
energy conservation. Another study found that Australian residents reporting curtailed water use were more likely to subsequently install water efficient appliances
(Lauren et al. 2016).
The current case study examines spillover among FEW behaviors as part of a
larger intervention project that encouraged composting through a curbside collection program. (For more details on this case study, see Sintov et al. 2017.) The primary objective of this study was to test whether adopting a new FEW management
4 Approximately $32 million per year is spent in the Lake Erie basin by the federal government on
agricultural conservation.
4 Human Behavior and Adaptation
area highlights the importance of accounting for behavioral heterogeneity in FEW
management strategies. Different actors may have different motivations for the
decisions they make; programs and policies may, therefore, have to be tailored to
incorporate these different attitudes if they are to be successful in motivating behavioral change.
Despite the millions of dollars being spent in the Great Lakes through a combination of incentive-based programs to offset BMP implementation costs and extensive education and outreach,
4
adoption of conservation practices is largely static
over time, and water quality is not improving. It is clear that intervening more strategically to encourage more thoughtful trade-offs across time will be key to addressing this challenge. For example, many incentive-based programs that offset the
costs of cover crops do not last long enough for farmers to experience the ecological, let alone economic benefits of cover crops. This leads to just as many farmers
dropping the practice as are adding the practice on an annual basis (Wilson et al.
2019). A more effective policy would be one that extends the payments for a minimum of 5 years to ensure that the on-farm benefits can be realized (e.g., decreased
fertilizer inputs, improved yield), allowing farmers to continue the practice despite
the added cost.
4.5.2 Case Study 2: Behavioral Spillovers Among Household
FEW Consumption Behaviors
Households represent a fundamental nexus of FEW systems. More than 67% of
food calories are consumed at home (Lin and Guthrie 2012), more than 75% of
direct energy use is residential (Energy Information Administration 2018), and
more than 50% of water withdrawals go directly to households or create food and
thermoelectric power consumed by households (Dieter 2018).
As discussed in Sect. 4.3.2, there is the potential for spillover effects in FEWrelated household behaviors. Several community field experiments provide examples of spillover effects. For example, following a Welsh policy charging a plastic
shopping bag fee, Thomas et al. (2016) observed positive spillover from increased
use of reusable bags to sustainable transportation choices and home water and
energy conservation. Another study found that Australian residents reporting curtailed water use were more likely to subsequently install water efficient appliances
(Lauren et al. 2016).
The current case study examines spillover among FEW behaviors as part of a
larger intervention project that encouraged composting through a curbside collection program. (For more details on this case study, see Sintov et al. 2017.) The primary objective of this study was to test whether adopting a new FEW management
4 Approximately $32 million per year is spent in the Lake Erie basin by the federal government on
agricultural conservation.
4 Human Behavior and Adaptation