The Short List: The Most Effective Actions U.S. Households Can Take to Curb Climate Change

Gardner, Gerald T.; Stern, Paul C.

doi:10.3200/envt.50.5.12-25

Cited by 375 publications

(376 citation statements)

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“…This effect refers to the phenomenon that effectiveness of the energy-saving technologies decreases due to inefficient energy consumption behaviors by users [3]. Therefore, more recent research has indicated that changing users' energy consumption behaviors is of significant importance in achieving longterm energy conservation [4]. Based on the premise that awareness of actual consumption will motivate energy conservation behavior of occupants [5], many researchers have studied eco-feedback systems which, designed to monitor and present occupants' energy consumption data [6], are believed to have the potential of changing occupant's energy consumption behaviors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Eco-Feedback on Energy Consumption Behavior: A Cross-Cultural Study

Lin¹,

Li²,

Ma³

et al. 2016

Proceedings of the International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (IAARC)

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-To reduce energy consumption in buildings, researchers have in the recent decade explored the potential of changing occupants' energy consumption behaviors using eco-feedback technologies. Energy consumption behavior is a type of consumer behavior, which has been proven cultural-specific in prior research. This paper aims to examine the impact of cultural differences on the effectiveness of ecofeedback technologies in reshaping building occupants' energy consumption behaviors. Energy consumption monitoring instruments were installed in four student dormitories, three resided by Chinese students and one by international students. The daily energy consumption of every unit in the dormitories was monitored. A web-based eco-feedback system was developed, which was responsible for sending weekly email reminders to students participating in the study and, upon their logins, providing them with their detailed energy consumption data as well as those of their peers. Changes in the students' energy consumption behaviors were analyzed, and correlated with their cultural background, which was assessed using a survey instrument designed based on Hofstede's dimensions of culture. Results proved that cultural background assessed in certain dimensions were significantly correlated with the effectiveness of eco-feedback technologies. The results suggested that eco-feedback technologies should be tailored to specific cultural context to maximize their effectiveness in building energy conservation.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Eco-Feedback on Energy Consumption Behavior: A Cross-Cultural Study

Lin¹,

Li²,

Ma³

et al. 2016

Proceedings of the International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (IAARC)

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…and what measures that users should have taken anyway [24]. Estimation has however suggested that it would be possible to reduce energy consumption with up to 30 percent of current energy demand by using feed-back and/or tailored information [25][26][27]. In our case studies the householders also requested individually tailored, specific information related directly to their houses or living conditions.…”

Section: Influence Energy Consumption -Information and Feedbackmentioning

confidence: 99%

Visualizing energy consumption activities as a tool for making everyday life more sustainable

2011

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social context) they are performed. We discuss the importance of relating information and feedback to households' everyday activities, in order to make it relevant to households. Through our method we discover and visualize activity patterns in a household during a given period. The method is also useful to households as a reflective tool when discussing families' daily lives in relation to energy consumption. The method gives direct feedback to households and the information is relevant since it emanates from their own reported activities.

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“…The impact of human actions on climate is normally quantified in terms of radiative forcing or global warming potential, which is often measured in units of carbon dioxide equivalent because carbon dioxide emissions are by far the largest forcing factor in climate change (Forster et al, 2007). Individual and household action in the United States has a larger aggregate climate impact than any other economic sector: As much as 38% of carbon dioxide emissions result from direct energy use by households, mainly in homes and for nonbusiness travel (Gardner & Stern, 2008;U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2007), and a large additional share results from indirect energy use through purchases of nonenergy goods and services that take energy to produce and distribute (Bin & Dowlatabadi, 2005).…”

Section: Behavior Versus Impactmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Energy Information Administration, 2007), and a large additional share results from indirect energy use through purchases of nonenergy goods and services that take energy to produce and distribute (Bin & Dowlatabadi, 2005). The most important household activities in terms of direct energy use and emissions, and therefore the most important targets for emissions reduction, are motor vehicle use and space heating (Gardner & Stern, 2008).…”

Section: Behavior Versus Impactmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contributions of psychology to limiting climate change.

Stern¹

2011

American Psychologist

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Council, 2010a). The human activities that directly produce physical changes in Earth's heat balance, such as burning fossil fuels, clearing forests, and raising cattle, are driven in turn by other human activities, including government policies, the growth and migration of human populations, economic and technological development, and the behavior of individuals and households as consumers, members of organizations, and citizens. These actions are influenced in turn by human attitudes, predispositions, beliefs, and social and economic structures (National Research Council, 1992; Swim et al., 2011, this issue). This article discusses what psychology has contributed and can contribute to limiting the magnitude of climate change by altering the human activities that affect it. A Framework for Psychological ContributionsPsychology can contribute to limiting climate change by improving understanding of climate-relevant individual, household, and organizational behaviors that affect climate change and the many personal, social, economic, institutional, policy, and social-structural factors that affect these behaviors, as well as by helping devise ways to turn that understanding into effective interventions. Most of the efforts of psychologists, and most of this review, focus on consumer behaviors. These can be conveniently divided into choices that affect emissions of greenhouse gases directly through household purchases of energy and choices that affect emissions indirectly through the purchase of goods and services that affect the climate through their production, distribution, and disposal. This article focuses mainly on the direct effects because they are large (about 40% of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States; Bin & Dowlatabadi, 2005) and because more is known about the behavioral factors that drive those emissions. It also briefly discusses psychological factors in organizational behavior and in acceptance of policies and technologies.

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The Short List: The Most Effective Actions U.S. Households Can Take to Curb Climate Change

Cited by 375 publications

References 0 publications

The Impact of Eco-Feedback on Energy Consumption Behavior: A Cross-Cultural Study

The Impact of Eco-Feedback on Energy Consumption Behavior: A Cross-Cultural Study

Visualizing energy consumption activities as a tool for making everyday life more sustainable

Contributions of psychology to limiting climate change.

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