A Behavioral Approach to Water Conservation: Evidence from Costa Rica

Datta, Saugato; Montero, Juan Jose Miranda; Zoratto, Laura De Castro; Calvo-Gonzalez, Oscar; Darlingm, Matthew; Lorenzana, Karina

doi:10.1596/1813-9450-7283

Cited by 31 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Across over 110 utilities and 8.6 million households in the United States [2] [3] [4] [5] [6], one utility in Germany [7], and one site in India [8], providing people with regular home energy reports reduced energy use. Similar reports on water consumption reduced water use in Costa Rica and the US states of California and Georgia [9] [10] [11]. These results are in line with the broader evidence base on the effectiveness of nudges-light-touch interventions that encourage specific behaviors without limiting an individual's choices.…”

Section: Supporting Evidencesupporting

confidence: 83%

“…In one site in India, reports reduced electricity use by 7 percent over four months [8]. Water use reports reduced consumption between 3.7-5.6 percent in Costa Rica and the US states of California and Georgia over two-twelve months [9] [10] [11]. While effective, home reports alone will not be enough to substantially reduce carbon emissions or address water scarcity.…”

Section: Supporting Evidencementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Five randomized evaluations found that households with higher relative use reduced consumption more as a result of home energy or water reports [4] [8] [9] [10] [12]. High users may be less likely to reduce consumption in response to price increases because they tend to be richer, suggesting that social comparisons can be an effective way to encourage conservation in this group.…”

Section: Supporting Evidencementioning

confidence: 99%

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Reducing energy and water use through information and social comparisons

2018

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Providing people with information about their energy or water use compared to their neighbors and tips about how to conserve consistently reduced consumption by small amounts in many contexts.Electricity meters track residential energy use. Photo: Shutterstock.com Summary:Residential energy use makes up a large portion of the carbon emissions from energy use in many countries-nearly one-fifth in the United States in 2016 [1]. Recently there has been growing interest in low-cost behavioral interventions that aim to change consumption habits through education or persuasion. One such intervention, pioneered by Opower, involves sending people one-page reports that compare their home energy use to that of their neighbors and offer conservation tips.Randomized evaluations across more than 115 sites in four countries consistently find that these kinds of reports can reduce both energy and water consumption by small amounts.The reports helped people learn about their own resource use, which is otherwise difficult to observe. They also appealed to social norms around conservation, which motivated some people to cut back-often those who consumed the most. At a cost to the utility of roughly US$1 per report, they can be a Germany, electricity use declined by 0.7 percent over one year [7]. In one site in India, reports reduced electricity use by 7 percent over four months [8]. Water use reports reduced consumption between 3.7-5.6 percent in Costa they tend to be richer, suggesting that social comparisons can be an effective way to encourage conservation in this group.Home energy reports may also be more effective in places with higher use overall. For example, researchers who tested reports in Germany suggest the smaller effect size they found may reflect the fact that on average German households use less energy than US households [7]. There is also a risk that low energy users may increase consumption after learning they consume less than their peers, as researchers who tested an email intervention similar to home energy reports in Australia found [12].One study in New York also measured how much people value home energy reports and found that more than one-third of participating households preferred not to receive them at all [13]. Future studies should similarly prioritize accounting for all costs and benefits of home energy reports, including user costs, when evaluating them as a policy option. Utilities may also be able to save costs and make some customers happier overall if they only send reports to people that want and value

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Section: Supporting Evidencesupporting

confidence: 83%

Section: Supporting Evidencementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Supporting Evidencementioning

confidence: 99%

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Reducing energy and water use through information and social comparisons

2018

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“…An evaluation of a socially comparative feedback intervention in Costa Rica demonstrated that the approach can be successfully implemented in a context where access to resources, such as technological infrastructure, may be constrained (Datta et al, ). In this case, feedback was delivered through stickers or postcards and included with households' monthly water bills.…”

Section: Socially Comparative Feedbackmentioning

confidence: 99%

Applying social influence insights to encourage climate resilient domestic water behavior: Bridging the theory‐practice gap

Lede

Meleady

2018

WIREs Climate Change

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Water scarcity is one of the most pressing issues of our time and it is projected to increase as global demand surges and climate change limits fresh water availability. If we are to reduce water demand, it is essential that we draw on every tool in the box, including one that is underestimated and underutilized: social influence. Research from the psychological sciences demonstrates that behavior is strongly influenced by the behavior of others, and that social influence can be harnessed to develop cost-effective strategies to encourage climate resilient behavior. Far less attention has been paid to investigate water-related interventions in comparison to interventions surrounding energy. In this paper, we consider the application of three social influence strategies to encourage water conservation: social norms; social identity; and socially comparative feedback. We not only review their empirical evidence base, but also offer an example of their application in the residential sector with the aim of highlighting how theoretical insights can be translated into practice. We argue that collaborations between researchers and industry are essential if we are to maximize the potential of behavior change interventions to encourage climate resilient water behavior. This article is categorized under: Perceptions, Behavior, and Communication of Climate Change > Behavior Change and Responses K E Y W O R D S behaviour change, climate resilient behaviour, social influence, water demand management, water conservation

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“…1c) in certain locations. Changes to the physical environment like this have successfully reduced littering with green footprints painted on the ground leading to bins [92], and stickers near taps have assisted in water conservation [44]. Recent evidence has shown that people tend to act pro-socially when there is an image of eyes watching them.…”

Section: Changes To Physical Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

When push comes to shove in recreational ﬁshing compliance, think ‘nudge’

Mackay¹,

Putten²,

Sibly³

et al. 2018

Preprint

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Enforcing compliance with rules and regulations in recreational fisheries has proved difficult due to factors such as the high number of participants and costs of enforcement, the absence of regular monitoring of recreational fishing activity, and the inherent difficulties in accurately determining catch levels. The effectiveness of traditional punitive deterrence is limited, yet current management is heavily reliant on this compliance approach. In this paper, the potential of behavioural based management is considered through a narrative review of the relevant literature; specifically, exploring the use of nudges, which aim through subtle changes and indirect suggestion to make certain decisions more salient, thereby improving voluntary compliance. This concept is explored with specific reference to the compliance of fishers within Australian recreational fisheries. There are only a few examples of behavioural based approaches found. However, based on their theoretical foundations, nudges may represent an inexpensive, and potentially highly effective tool for recreational fisheries management. Nudges do not offer a 'quick fix' to cases where traditional policy instruments have failed. Rather, there is the potential for behavioural nudges (based on framing, changing the physical environment, presenting default options, and social norms) to augment and complement existing deterrence regimes. A number of potential nudges for compliance management in recreational fisheries are suggested, but caution is advised. As with any novel management approach, nudges must be rigorously tested to demonstrate their cost-effectiveness and to avoid unintended consequences.

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A Behavioral Approach to Water Conservation: Evidence from Costa Rica

Cited by 31 publications

References 15 publications

Reducing energy and water use through information and social comparisons

Reducing energy and water use through information and social comparisons

Applying social influence insights to encourage climate resilient domestic water behavior: Bridging the theory‐practice gap

When push comes to shove in recreational ﬁshing compliance, think ‘nudge’

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