Sustainability Partners News Blog

We need more surveys like this one sponsored by Columbia University’s Earth Institute, which will help educators, communicators, environmental groups and policy makers understand where individuals are lacking information to make informed choices about reducing home life energy usage.  http://www.earth.columbia.edu/articles/view/2717

Adults in 34 states were quizzed about home energy reduction behaviors.  The survey showed that adults seriously underestimate the value of their buying decisions to reduce home energy savings, such as purchasing new appliances and fuel efficient cars, and weatherizing our homes.  Conversely, they overestimate the value of shutting off the lights when you leave a room.

Ms Shahzeen Attari, lead author of the survey results, said people show a willingness to take one or two actions to address a perceived problem, but after that, their attention starts to fade.  Behavior researchers call this the “single-action bias.”

This survey, and more like them, can guide public outreach by all stakeholders looking to effect energy reduction in the U.S.  If people will do only one or two things to reduce their own energy footprint, let’s make sure that people understand which actions benefit energy reduction most.

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