Motivations for Lighter Living Action
Gaining strategic insights into what drives people toward lighter, sustainable lifestyles.
Leads: OneEarth Living & Share Reuse Repair Initiative
Sponsors: Vancity & Sitra
Co-sponsors: Modo, HUB Cycling, River Select, The Rebuild Hub, Kambo Energy Group, Vancouver Foundation
Purpose
& Vision
Why this study exists
Why do some people choose second-hand goods, eat more plant-based, or reduce home energy use? What can these varied motivations tell us about how to mainstream sustainable living? In our British Columbia study (2021), we investigated 7 “motivations” for lighter living, using both qualitative interviews and large-scale survey methods. The goal is to equip brands, organizations, and civic systems with actionable insights to inspire sustainable behaviour change across diverse groups.
Scope, Approach
& Methodology
What’s included (“What’s in the Study”)
This study was led by OneEarth Living and Share Reuse Repair Initiative in British Columbia, supported by several sponsors. The research combined 20 in-depth interviews and a quantitative survey of ~1,500 BC residents. Key activities included defining the 7 motivations, mapping them to behaviours such as “eating, stuff, moving around, home, and general lighter living.” The study also produced a toolkit, summary materials, and background on “lighter living” to enable organizations to use the framework in campaigns or service design.
Key Findings & Insights
Motivations in Action (Stories / Examples)
The study revealed seven motivation segments among British Columbia residents, each representing a portion of the population: Waste Not, Want Not (22%); Shop, Style & Social (20%); Eco-Trends (20%); Healthy Life & Planet (14%); Rugged Independence (10%); Practical Traditions (7%); Work Hard, Live Large (7%). Key insights include that no single motivation dominates — different people are moved by different combinations of values like thrift, pleasure, social norms, health, and environmental concern. Organizations that align messaging and offerings with these motivations can better engage across diverse audiences. For example, the “Shop, Style & Social” group shows strong receptivity to products that combine style and sustainability.
Resources
Toolkits & Activation Guides
DIY Activation Toolkit – for organizations/businesses to apply the 7 motivations across key areas (eating, stuff, moving, home, etc.).
Download the British Columbia Study (Full report, PDF) – insights, data tables, and motivational profiles.
Guelph-Wellington Study – survey & interviews revealing dominant motivations in that region.
Summary Materials & Background Sections including methodology and project scope.
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Coming soon: slide decks, handouts, video/audio clips, and workshop agendas.
Partners & Team
Subheader here
Leads: OneEarth Living; Share Reuse Repair Initiative
Sponsors: Vancity; Sitra
Co-Sponsors: Modo; HUB Cycling; River Select; The Rebuild Hub; Kambo Energy Group; Vancouver Foundation
Team: Dagmar Timmer; Lindsey Boyle; Majid Khoury; Dr. Vanessa Timmer; Edna Catumbela
Engagement
Opportunities
What you can do
Whether you’re an organization, business, or municipality, you can use the Motivations insights to shape campaigns, product offers, or engagement strategies. Take the Motivations Quiz to see what your dominant motivation might be. Use the toolkit to align messaging with what drives your audience. We are also expanding this work into more regions (Québec, Guelph-Wellington) and welcome collaborators or sponsors to help bring these insights into more communities.
Related Projects
Motivations Study in Guelph-Wellington
Exploring lighter living motivations in Ontario.
Motivations in Québec
Lighter living action and the six motivations in that province.
Sitra’s Motivation Profiles
Framework used in Finland.