Eco-Action: Transforming Sustainability with Play and Creativity with Katie Patrick

"Behavioral psychology is key to effective sustainability programs. Understanding the psychology of people is crucial to communicate and manifest change in them."In this episode, I’m thrilled to welcome Katie Patrick, an environmental engineer, climate action designer, and author of How to Save the World and Zerowastify. Katie brings a unique fusion of environmental science, behavioral psychology, and game design to tackle climate change, creating tools like apps and campaigns that inspire real-world action.She’s worked with organizations like NASA JPL, Google, UNEP, and Stanford, and co-founded Energy Lollipop and Urban Canopy to reduce CO₂ emissions from the electricity grid. Through her podcast and projects like The Imagine Project,Katie champions the power of creativity, optimism, and evidence-based design in shaping a sustainable future.Key topicsThe Role of Play in SustainabilityMotivating Change Beyond Environmental CallsGamification and Community EngagementChildren as Agents of ChangeThe Importance of Behavioral Psychology in SustainabilityChapters 00:00- Introduction and Katie's Background00:03 - The Role of Play in Sustainability00:09 - Challenges and Sacrifices in Environmental Action00:15 - Motivating Change: Beyond Environmental Calls00:21 - Gamification and Community Engagement00:27 - Working with Children and Eco-Imagination 00:33 - Current Projects and Future Plans00:39 - Final Thoughts and Call to ActionPlease show us your support by...Tune in and subscribe to the We Need to Act podcast via Spotify or Apple Podcasts.Support our show by ⁠⁠⁠⁠buying us a coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠.Join our page on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to our newsletter on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠