Adjust the thermostat and eat more plants? Comparing energy and climate knowledge amongst botanical garden members
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: In 2024, the residential sector accounted for approximately 15 % of United States energy consumption and 18 % of carbon dioxide emissions from energy consumption, making household behavior an important area to target for energy conservation and emissions reductions. We surveyed botanical garden members ( N = 1108) about their knowledge of the energy savings and climate mitigation potential associated with common household behaviors. We asked participants to rank six behaviors (e.g., shortening a shower from fifteen to ten minutes) in terms of their energy savings, calculating energy knowledge by examining the accuracy of participants' rankings. We also asked participants to estimate the climate mitigation potential of fourteen pro-environmental behaviors (e.g., using low-flow shower heads), calculating climate knowledge by comparing participants' estimates to estimates calculated in prior literature. While participants displayed some knowledge of the energy savings associated with household behaviors, they displayed low knowledge of the climate mitigation potential of pro-environmental behaviors. Instead, they were more likely to attribute greater mitigation potential to behaviors in which they reported engaging. Energy knowledge was unrelated to climate knowledge; however, both were predicted by political liberalism. Our findings suggest opportunities for energy and climate education and communication to support household energy conservation and emissions reductions, even amongst already environmentally engaged groups.
Source: Energy Research & Social Science
Institution: Stanford University
Language: English
Subfield: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,450
OpenAlex ID: W4413439047