Here is a list of some 'cognitive' techniques for changing some of those habits we may consider irresponsible or habitual. Some of these techniques may work for some people better than others. Some may work better for different situations. A combination of techniques may also work.
Wisdom in decision making
Suggestion box
Laziness
"I can't be bothered with going to the hassle of doing something that will make me feel guilty because it's not very responsible or sustainable". Further, feelings of guilt or worry takes up mind space and energy, burdening it with negativity. That negativity makes life harder in every way.
It's also easier to be responsible in the first place than it is to come up with ways of justifying my irresponsible unsustainable decisions to myself.
For example: spending the money on a car, filling out the paperwork for the process of purchasing the car, paying the taxes, paying for the registration, paying for the petrol, being committed to responsible maintenance of the car, paying for your drivers license, paying for fines, paying for parking, spending time looking for car parks, spending time in traffic, dealing with the guilt of being irresponsible for trips that you could have cycled or caught public transport.
Answerability
Live your life as if you are answerable for each decision and action. If you make your decisions based on the expectation that you may need to explain your reasoning to someone, you will find you are more tempted to make a responsible decision.
Some imagine that there is a little conscience character sitting on their shoulder. Others imagine the existence of a higher being that one might have to explain all choices to. Some peeps are happy to be answerable to their own conscience. As long as one is aware of the wider scope of their actions on the world their conscience should be adequate.
Guilt
The more aggressive form of attitude change manipulates the use of guilt. Most of us if we choose the easy, less responsible decision to do something we feel at least a little guilty. Generally if we continue to do the same thing we need to either tune out to those guilty feelings or justify the reason for the action to ourselves. At the point we feel we are dependant on such things that make us feel guilty and we continue to do them we have cultivated a type of addiction to it. Addictions can bring their own prolonged guilt, frustrations and depression.
The idea of this technique is to recognize the feeling of guilt. Rather than justifying yourself every time you do it, consider amplifying the guilt that you feel towards it (for example "if I do this thing once it's bad, but if I do it twice then I should feel twice as much guilt"). At the same time it may be beneficial to swap the action for a more responsible or sustainable option that makes us feel better.
Guilt is an emotion that can make us feel physically sick. That may be something that motivates us to seek out alternatives that are more sustainable and responsible. Making a commitment to yourself to not do things that make you feel guilty may be the first move towards removing bad habits from our lives.
It is important to not go overboard with guilt. It can be a powerful emotion that cripples our ability to make rational decisions. It is important to not feel guilty for things that are beyond your emotional, mental or physical limits. Remember, you must be responsible for your self before you can be responsible for anything or anyone else.
Guilt has been used before to transform the aerosol industry to products that were less harmful on the ozone layer. Through raising awareness about the impact of the wrong type of aerosol on the environment we have changed our habits. It is now very rare to see an aerosol product that isn't "ozone friendly".