There is a lot of literature on that you want to behave in a way that's consistent with your self image. So if you see yourself as someone who cares about the world, then when you do something like recycling it should reinforce that sense of self and make you more likely to follow suit. "I feel like in this conversation, who didn't win the Nobel Prize? I think could have"
Is it enough to toss a soda can in the recycling? Why is Maria obsessed with Nobel Prize lectures? And wait — is that a news alert or a tiger?