Forming Habits

Interesting NY Times article on forming habits to change behavior. It describes how a public health campaign for washing hands with soap was done similarly to a mass product marketing effort. Companies try to get their product part of their customer's habits, whether it be chips or lotion, so why not washing with soap too?

In the quest to have more sustainable urban places, could similar marketing efforts be used to change behavior? In the quest for convenience, what could be more convenient than having groceries available within 5-10 minutes or on your way home?

My habits in Berlin have certainly been shaped by the offerings available to me: I habitually shop at the market on my street. It's so close, convenient and affordable. The selection isn't huge, but it's so easy to go there and it's better than the other places I pass. I know what they have there and I buy the same things most of the time. It's faster than trying to figure out where to go and what to buy every time.

When I go back to the U.S., I will sorely miss my habit of buying food on my way home. Getting groceries has always been a special trip in the U.S., sometimes more out of the way than others. A German that had been to the U.S. even commented on that: there were plenty of restaurants in his neighborhood, but no grocery stores!

The transportation system (Bahn and Tram here in Berlin) and stores around me have significantly influenced my shopping habits. If the U.S. is to figure out how to drive less than it currently does given the current high oil prices, there needs to be the infrastructure in place that supports different habits.