High impact water conservation: factors explaining residents’ intent to reduce irrigated area in the yard

Insights from residents under year‐round irrigation restrictions to improve water conservation impacts

“…That people identifying as Asian or Pacific Islander or white are more likely to be unaware suggests that there may be possible cultural dimension to awareness. While several studies have focused on understanding what influences residential irrigation behavior, they have frequently left race and ethnicity out of analysis and simply used it to ensure representation in the sample (e.g., Barnes et al, 2021; Warner & Diaz, 2022). This means that more inquiries are warranted to understand how the cultural dimensions related to race and possibly ethnicity affect irrigation behaviors and awareness of relevant irrigation policies.…”

“…Therefore, messages appealing to a desire to fit in with social norms (e.g., join neighbors in conservation efforts) or to maintain lawn health/aesthetics (e.g., avoid lawn decline) should also be considered (Salter Mitchell, n.d.; Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration, 2018). This is a difficult challenge as the actions that contribute to a desirable norm (irrigation restriction compliance) are nearly if not totally invisible (Warner & Diaz, 2022).…”

“…Policies such as irrigation restrictions are undoubtedly important in achieving water savings. However, it is critically important to recognize that the establishment of policies does not automatically translate to water conservation (Hornberger et al, 2015; Warner & Diaz, 2022) because “confusion and lack of awareness exist among homeowners which may reduce the effectiveness” (Sisser et al, 2016, p. 23) of irrigation restrictions. People need to follow these regulations for them to be effective, and changing public behaviors relies on understanding those behaviors (i.e., the human dimensions) in depth (Wallen & Daut, 2018).…”

Investigating Farmers’ Intentions to Reduce Water Waste through Water-Smart Farming Technologies

“…However, water waste causes serious water shortages, which can exacerbate economic (such as food insecurity) and environmental (such as climate change) problems. The scarcity of water is a major issue that must be addressed in the XXI century [1][2][3][4], as it has led to a severe water crisis in many countries [5,6]. This has threatened food and water security and has caused migration and conflict [7].…”

“…Agriculture "accounts for 69% of freshwater use on the planet" [10] (p. 1), which puts farmers at the center of any efforts to rationalize water consumption behavior. In the same vein, the literature suggests that the highest priority in resource management programs should be given to waste reduction, with recycling following closely behind [4,7,9,11]. Given that water is a crucial resource that must be conserved in farming, more attention should be paid to strategies that reduce water waste.…”