Turning Intent Into Action: Evaluating an Online Intervention for Sustainable Behaviour

The intervention is Better Choices for People and the Planet: Breaking Up with Belongings 2.0 (BB 2.0); a self-guided online program designed to help adults reduce unnecessary buying and adopt more sustainable habits. The program is delivered entirely online through a secure portal only accessible to study participants which they are permitted to access after screening using a unique study ID. All material is presented through animated educational videos, supported by short workbook activities, and guided by an animated version of Professor Norberg. There is no contact with a therapist or facilitator, and no physical materials are provided. Participants complete 50 animated videos ranging from 3 to 16 minutes in length, totalling approximately 8.5 hours of video content. Short workbook activities take about 5 minutes each and help participants reflect on and apply what they learn. Participants also complete weekly questionnaires of approximately 10 minutes throughout the study, a 20-minute questionnaire at the end of the study, and a 30-minute closing interview. Depending on baseline length and phase extensions, participants complete approximately 22 to 43 weekly questionnaires in total. The minimum total time commitment is approximately 16.5 hours, spread across approximately 23 to 44 weeks, including baseline, intervention phases, as well as a four-week follow-up closing survey after completing the final module. The program includes five modules completed in sequence, each with a different focus. The first module, Getting Started, helps participants clarify their values, motivations, and goals for change, and build confidence in their ability to make sustainable choices. The second module, From Attachment to Action, explores emotional and psychological reasons people become attached to possessions and teaches mindful ways to let go. The third module, Emotions, focuses on learning skills to manage both negative and positive emotions that can lead to impulsive buying or saving. The fourth module, Overcoming Overconsumption, helps participants recognise triggers for over-acquiring and develop practical strategies to manage buying habits and routines. The final module, Looking Back and Forward, focuses on reviewing progress, planning for the future, and maintaining changes; no new skills are introduced in this module. All program activities are completed individually and remotely, typically at home or another private location with internet access. Each module is designed to take approximately four weeks to complete, with about one hour of program content per week, and includes a minimum of four weekly assessments per module. The length of each study phase is tailored to each participant to ensure stable weekly questionnaire responses. Participants begin with a baseline period lasting between 3 and 7 weeks (randomly assigned), which may be extended to a maximum of 8 weeks if responses are not yet stable. Participants move on to Module 1 only once stability in climate-related daily functioning scores is established. Modules 1 to 4 each last a minimum of four weeks and may be extended up to eight weeks if weekly scores continue to change substantially. The final module is fixed at four weeks because it focuses on consolidation rather than introducing new material. Engagement with the program is tracked automatically through the online platform, including video completion, workbook activity timestamps, and questionnaire responses. Participants receive automated reminders if weekly activities are not completed, and all participants receive the same program content in the same order.