Green Nudge:
A study conducted in China has shed light on the positive environmental impact of implementing “green nudges” in online food delivery platforms.
- Green nudges are interventions that encourage people to act more sustainably.
- They are a relatively new policy tool that aims to encourage pro-environmental behaviour.
- By defaulting to “no disposable cutlery” and rewarding customers with “green points,” this simple change led to a 648% increase in no-cutlery orders, offering potential benefits for both the environment and consumer behaviour.
- The study estimated that over 18 months in Shanghai, more than 225.33 million sets of single-use cutlery (SUCs) were reduced, potentially preventing 4,506.52 metric tonnes of waste and saving 56,333 trees.
- India’s leading online food delivery platform, Zomato, introduced similar nudges, leading to a substantial reduction in cutlery waste.
Green Nudge:
- India : Zomato’s “no-cutlery” option; Government’s LiFE movement, promoting environmentally conscious living
UK : “The Big Switch Off” campaign to save energy by encouraging people to turn off lights and appliances when not in use. - Netherlands : “Pay as you throw” policy for garbage collection, where residents pay based on the amount of waste they produce, incentivizing reduced waste generation.
- USA: San Francisco’s ban on plastic bags discourages their use and promotes reusable alternatives.
