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Savers Reward Themselves by Wasting
Most consumers who make special efforts to save energy turn around and “splurge” on energy consuming behaviors, negating half or even more of their green efforts. That’s the conclusion of a handful of recent articles from sources as diverse as New Scientist and The International Journal of Consumer Research. They found that:
  • Consumers who “green” their homes with insulation, energy efficient furnaces, dual-pane windows, etc., are likely to then set their thermostats higher in the winter because they now “deserve” to be more comfortable.
  • People who buy energy efficient refrigerators to protect the planet often keep their old ones as “beer backups,” actually increasing their total energy consumption. This trend has become so prevalent that some states no longer provide energy rebates unless the buyer proves they have recycled their old fridge.
  • Those who buy low water and low energy dishwashers indulge by running smaller loads and doing more pre-washing.
  • And, as most of us have seen at some point during our careers, business managers that lower office temperatures to save energy find that workers respond by bringing in space heaters, some of the most inefficient heat sources on the planet.
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It’s all part of the two steps forward, one step back consumers take as they try to become more sustainable.

We should think about...
  • How might consumers reward themselves after buying our green product? How can we ensure that reward does not negate the positive impact of their purchase?
  • Can we suggest ways that consumers can reward themselves that actually increase the “greenness” of their behaviors?
Sources: International Journal of Consumers Studies 2010, New Scientist 2010,
The New York Times 2010
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