Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. Energy News .




ENERGY NEWS
Environmental Labels May Discourage Conservatives from Buying Energy-Efficient Products
by Staff Writers
Durham NC (SPX) May 02, 2013


File image.

When it comes to deciding which light bulb to buy, a label touting the product's environmental benefit may actually discourage politically conservative shoppers.

Dena Gromet and Howard Kunreuther at The University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and Rick Larrick at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business conducted two studies to determine how political ideology affected a person's choice to buy energy-efficient products in the United States.

The authors suggest that financial incentives or emphasizing energy independence may be better ways to get people to buy energy-efficient products than appealing to environmental concerns because these represent unifying concerns that cross political boundaries.

"A popular strategy for marketing energy efficiency is to focus on its environmental benefits," said Gromet, the lead author on the studies. "But not everyone values protecting the environment. We were interested in whether promoting the environment could in fact deter some individuals from purchasing energy efficient options that they would have otherwise selected."

The first study surveyed 657 U.S. adults, 49 percent men, ranging in age from 19-81. Participants were given a short description of energy efficiency and answered questions about the psychological value they placed on reducing carbon dioxide emissions to protect the environment, reducing dependence on foreign oil and reducing the financial cost of energy use.

They also indicated how much they favored investing in energy-efficient technology. Participants were asked about their political ideology, and how much they identified with different political parties.

The more conservative the participant, the less likely that person was to support investing in energy-efficient technology. The study found that this divide was primarily driven by the lower value that conservatives placed on reducing carbon emissions. The values of energy independence and reducing energy costs had more universal appeal.

The second study involved 210 participants, 61 percent female, who ranged in age from 18 to 66. Again, all participants gave information about their political ideologies. Participants were given $2 to spend on a light bulb and could keep whatever they did not spend.

They were then educated about the benefits of compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs over incandescent bulbs. (CFL bulbs last 9,000 more hours and reduce energy costs by 75 percent). Some of the CFL bulbs came with a sticker that said "Protect The Environment" while the others had a blank sticker.

In some cases, the CFL bulb was priced at $1.50, while the incandescent bulb was 50 cents. When the more expensive CFL came with no environmental label, liberals and conservatives selected it at roughly the same high frequency.

However, when the more expensive CFL bulb also was accompanied by a "protect the environment" sticker, participants who identified as more politically moderate or conservative were less likely to buy it.

For other participants, both incandescent and CFL bulbs were priced at 50 cents. All but one of these participants bought the CFL bulb regardless of the sticker, indicating that everyone was attracted to a good economic deal regardless of their political leanings.

"The environmental aspect of energy efficiency has an ideologically polarizing impact that can undermine demand for energy-efficient technology, specifically among more politically conservative individuals," Kunreuther said.

"On a more positive note, the results of the second study indicate that focusing on the nature of the message coupled with economic incentives should promote investment in energy-efficient products."

"These findings demonstrate that a one-size-fits-all approach is unlikely to be successful for making energy-efficient products appealing to consumers," Larrick said.

"People have different energy-related values which can influence their choices, including leading them to reject options that they recognize as having long-term economic benefits. In many cases, a tailored message may be needed to reach different market segments."

"Political Ideology Affects Energy-Efficiency Attitudes and Choices," Dena M. Gromet, Howard Kunreuther, and Richard P. Larrick. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Online April 29, 2013

.


Related Links
Duke University's Fuqua School of Business







Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








ENERGY NEWS
Ethiopia and China sign $1 billion power deal
Addis Ababa (AFP) April 26, 2013
Ethiopia signed a contract Friday worth nearly $1 billion with a Chinese energy company to build two transmission lines linking the country's largest dam to the country's central power grid. The Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo.) signed the deal with China Electric Power Equipment and Technology Company (CET) in the Ethiopian capital. The three-year project, which will be full ... read more


ENERGY NEWS
Environmental Labels May Discourage Conservatives from Buying Energy-Efficient Products

Ethiopia and China sign $1 billion power deal

New York approves power line from Canada

$674 billion annual spend on 'unburnable' fossil fuel assets signals failure to recognise huge financial risks

ENERGY NEWS
East Africa's 'embarrassment of riches' in energy

Outside View: No modest proposal from Anthony Swift

Saint-Gobain Announces Strategic Initiatives in Renewable Energy

Oil prices drop on weak Chinese data

ENERGY NEWS
Scotland approves 640-foot prototype offshore wind turbine

Wind Power: TUV Rheinland Certifies HybridDrive from Winergy

Wales wind power line to go underground near historic village

UK Ministry of Defense Deems Wind Towers a National Security Threat

ENERGY NEWS
Community Solar Coming to City of Aurora and Arapahoe County

Thin-film technology fuels ITN Energy Systems

JA Solar and Flextronics Enjoy Booming Solar Module Growth

Trina Solar presents new high-efficiency products and focus on extended service proposition

ENERGY NEWS
Japan signs nuclear cooperation deal with UAE

Japanese-French led group to build Turkish nuclear plant

Texas A and M Physicist Sees Energy Solutions in Green Nuclear Power Technology

Turkey to finalise nuclear plant deal: minister

ENERGY NEWS
Recipe for Low-Cost, Biomass-Derived Catalyst for Hydrogen Production

China conducts its first successful bio-fueled airline flight

Bugs produce diesel on demand

New input system for biogas systems

ENERGY NEWS
On Course for Shenzhou 10

Yuanwang III, VI depart for space-tracking missions

Shenzhou's Shadow Crew

Shenzhou 10 sent to launch site

ENERGY NEWS
The politics of climate change

China becoming global climate change leader: study

China a leader in fight on climate change?

Ireland: EU consensus exists for setting 2030 greenhouse gas targets




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement