Motivating energy conservation in the workplace: An evaluation of the use of group-level feedback and peer education

被引:321
作者
Carrico, Amanda R. [1 ]
Riemer, Manuel [2 ]
机构
[1] Vanderbilt Inst Energy & Environm, Climate Change Res Network, Nashville, TN 37240 USA
[2] Wilfrid Laurier Univ, Dept Community Psychol, Waterloo, ON N2L 3C5, Canada
关键词
Environmental behavior; Feedback; Peer education; Information campaign; Energy conservation; SOCIAL-MOVEMENT PARTICIPATION; HIV RISK REDUCTION; ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOR; COLLECTIVE IDENTIFICATION; CONSUMPTION BEHAVIOR; PREVENTION PROGRAM; PLANNED BEHAVIOR; DECISION-MAKING; OPINION LEADERS; SELF-EFFICACY;
D O I
10.1016/j.jenvp.2010.11.004
中图分类号
X [环境科学、安全科学];
学科分类号
08 ; 0830 ;
摘要
Research suggests that curbing consumer demand for energy through behavioral interventions is an essential component of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in the short-term. Behavior within organizational settings poses a particular challenge to those wishing to promote energy conservation because employees typically have no direct financial incentive to reduce energy use and rarely have access to information regarding their level of consumption. Two relatively simple and easy-to-implement interventions were evaluated in a workplace setting during the fall of 2008. The first involved group-level feedback presented monthly to employees via e-mail. The second used peer educators to disseminate information and to encourage colleagues to reduce energy use. Both interventions were compared to an information-only control designed to educate employees about how and why to conserve energy. Results indicated that feedback and peer education resulted in a 7% and 4% reduction in energy use, respectively. Buildings that received the control increased energy use by 4%. The effect of peer education was limited by implementation failures in two buildings. The utility of these interventions will be discussed in terms of their overall potential for reducing energy use, as well as the feasibility of their being implemented in future organizational settings. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
引用
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页码:1 / 13
页数:13
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