If you are going to change human
behavior, you must answer the critical question,
"What's in it for ME?"
The challenge is always the same.
There are a lot of different levels
of people involved.
The obvious ones are those your are
trying to change.
But around them are numerous levels
of politics. What's in it for them?
Managers and elected representatives
are consumed with what's in front of them. What's in it for
them?
I fought the battle in 1993.
With the help of a Waste Management driver named Jesus Lopes, we
created the best multi-family recycling program in California.
It is still the only complex in California that diverts 50% of their
garbage through recycling.
That program saved the home-owner's
association $25,000 a year, that's what was in it for them.
The savings represented $9/month in dues, that's what was in it for
the residents. A side effect was recycling enough newspaper
and cardboard to save 3,000 trees each year, not a bad side effect.
After that great success, no other
complex would even listen to Jesus or myself. Why should they?
The complex's management teams were already dealing with all the
problems they could handle. Why should they go though the
frustrations of change? Would it make their life easier or
make them more money?
Enjoy an old YouTube video and
understand the amount of passion required to implement the best
recycling program in California. What did I get out of it?
I got the satisfaction of solving a big problem. Problem
solving is an addiction of mine.
