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The healthy ecosystems, healthy people project: using social marketing to promote environmentally active living

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Abstract

Beyond the health benefits of physical activity and exposure to nature alone, there are even greater benefits when participating in physical activity while being engaged with nature. Also, there are additional benefits to participating in environmental stewardship activities. Despite this, surprisingly few individuals participate in such activities. This paper describes the British Columbia (BC) Healthy Ecosystems, Healthy People Project (HEHPP) and its social marketing resource, as an initiative that works to address these issues. The resulting social marketing resource included: a glossary of social marketing terminology; a definition of seven BC target market sections, in terms of product, price, place, promotion, and competition; tips and a table on how to select a priority audience; general and community-based volunteer recruitment strategies; and information on conducting an evaluation of group activities. The document is currently being reviewed by environmental stewardship groups for consideration as part of their ‘stewardship series’ resources in order to effectively recruit volunteers.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to the other HEHPP members for their significant contributions to the project and social marketing resource: Jenny Feick, Rick Searle, Rod Silver, Naomi Tabata, Rick Kool, Anna Rozwadowska, Alan Moyes, Bryn White, and Arlene Bethune.

The first author’s work on this project was funded in part by BC Government Support for Student-led Research in the Field of Social Policy. The HEHPP was funded through the ActNow BC Incentive Fund.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Exercise Science, Physical, and Health Education, University of Victoria, PO Box 3015 STN CSC, Victoria, BC, V8W 3P1, Canada

    Janine R. Drummond

  2. School of Exercise Science, Physical, and Health Education, University of Victoria, McKinnon Building, room 0024d, PO Box 3015 STN CSC, Victoria, BC, V8W 3P1, Canada

    S. Joan Wharf Higgins

  3. Seabird Consulting, c/o School of Exercise Science, Physical, and Health Education, University of Victoria, PO Box 3015 STN CSC, Victoria, BC, V8W 3P1, Canada

    Edwin Hubert

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  1. Janine R. Drummond
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Correspondence to Janine R. Drummond.

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Drummond, J.R., Wharf Higgins, S.J. & Hubert, E. The healthy ecosystems, healthy people project: using social marketing to promote environmentally active living. Int Rev Public Nonprofit Mark 6, 167–180 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12208-009-0033-x

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