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Eco-labeling for energy efficiency and sustainability: a meta-evaluation of US programs
Abstract
Eco-labeling is a promising market-based approach for improving the environmental performance of products through consumer choice. While eco-labeling itself is not new, eco-labeling to promote energy efficiency or sustainability is a more recent phenomenon. Five such energy-labeling programs in the US are evaluated: Green Seal, Scientific Certification Systems, Energy Guide, Energy Star, and Green-e. Of these, the first four certify energy-efficient appliances while the last one certifies renewable electricity. While Energy Guide and Energy Star are government-run programs, the rest are privately administered. Two evaluation criteria were used—consumer response and manufacturer/marketer response. Very few studies have been done on the private programs making comparative analysis more difficult. It was found that government programs, in general, and Energy Star, in particular, were much more successful than the private programs. For appliance energy labeling, the private programs were found to have an almost insignificant effect on the market. Government support proved to be crucial in determining a program's credibility, financial stability, and long-term viability. Further, targeting of specific product categories, legislative mandates, incentives, and partnerships were found to be other important factors for program success. Simple seal-of-approval logos and labels have generally affected consumer behavior more than the complex information-disclosure labels.
... Studies have found that government supported labels are better equipped than privately owned labeling programs to communicate information and increase consumer understanding (Banerjee & Solomon, 2002;Sønderskov & Daugbjerg, 2010). This disparity is due in part to the fact that government-run programs are more widespread than private programs: they more easily gain credibility and long-term viability. ...
... Additionally, government-run programs have larger budgets than most private programs, allowing for a more extensive system to be used. Finally, government-run labels often have legislation backing them, which can mandate that certain labels are required on particular products (Banerjee & Solomon, 2002). Boardman (2008) found several issues with Carbon Trust's labeling scheme in particular. ...
... Twice the number of participants said they would trust environmental groups than the number that said they would trust the government. This outcome was not expected, as existing research suggests that government supported labels are more trusted for communicating information (Banerjee & Solomon, 2002;Sønderskov & Daugbjerg, 2010). Perhaps consumers tend to believe that environmental groups hold more authority and expertise when it comes to transparency in the food system, and tend to rely on these entities to provide accurate and truthful information about the environmental impact of their foods. ...
https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/139605/1/ebedrick.pdf
... The research discussed about eco labeling effects were not sufficiently found. Several studies that are relevant to this topic are: Banerjee and Solomon (2003) according to research, public initiatives have fared better than private ones, especially the Energy Star program. Private programs haven't really had much of an impact on the market when it comes to energy labeling for home appliances. ...
This research aims to look at the development of research on “Eco-Fashion'' throughout the world and research plans that can be carried out based on journals published on this theme. This research uses qualitative methods with a bibliometric analysis approach. The data used is secondary data with the theme "Eco-Fashion" originating from database Scopus with a total of 133 journal articles. The research results show that in the author's bibliometric mapping, the author whose research was most cited on the theme Eco-fashion is Niinimäki. Furthermore, based on bibliometric keyword mapping, six groups can become lines of research with topics related to (1)Circular Economy Adoption, (2) Impact of Knowledge on consumer sustainability, (3) Green Energy Challenges, (4) Sustainable Raw Material Changes, (5) Fashion Product Values, and (6) Friendly Label Effects on Environment.
... Environmental pollution and resource scarcity are the two bottlenecks of the current world economic development (Banerjee & Solomon, 2003;Haas 2002). Some countries and regions around the world are actively responding to the call for environmental protection and taking measures to vigorously promote the development of green supply chains (Hervani et al., 2005;Sheu et al., 2005). ...
With the development of the digital economy, digital technology can help enterprises achieve digital, intelligent, and green transformation. However, the cost of enterprise transformation is high, and government subsidies can help reduce enterprise risks. In this study, based on the Stackelberg game model, a three-stage game model was established for government, manufacturer, and retail. Through theoretical proof and numerical simulation, the effects of cost subsidies, research and development subsidies, and sales subsidies policies were analyzed. The research shows that these three subsidy methods can promote the greening of products, increase market sales, and increase the profits of manufacturers and retailers, and the effect of R&D subsidies is more obvious. Excessive R&D subsidies will cause the social welfare function to decline. As consumers’ green preferences increase, the profits and social welfare of manufacturers and retailers also increase. Consumers’ green preferences can effectively improve the green level of products, increase product sales, and promote the development of green products. Under the optimal subsidy strategy, cost and sales subsidies are superior to R&D subsidies. By studying the effects of different subsidy policies, this study provides reasonable policies and suggestions for the government and the manufacturing industry.
... Energy efficiency training has been the subject of numerous projects and programmes that have been implemented across sectors. In the building sector, prominent initiatives such as the Energy Star programme in the United States and the certification programmes established by the Green Building Council have played a pivotal role in advancing the field of energy efficiency (Banerjee & Solomon, 2003). These programmes offer training and resources to individuals responsible for building management, including owners, facility managers, and occupants. ...
The construction sector faces the urgent need to prioritize energy efficiency due to an increasingly stringent regulatory landscape in response to the climate change agenda. Central to this transition is the pivotal role of education in equipping professionals with the necessary knowledge and skills. Educational solutions have emerged as powerful tools for promoting awareness and interventions to mitigate climate change. This article provides a case study that highlights the successful utilisation of computer technology in delivering digital solutions to advance energy education and promote more informed energy practices in the construction industry. The utilisation of digital technologies can enhance collaborative efforts in energy efficiency training, which is of critical significance in ensuring the security, sovereignty, transparency, immutability, and decentralisation of interventions related to energy education. This paper presents a framework that utilises Blockchain technology to facilitate training labelling and authenticity based on smart contracts and mobile passports to provide a secure and efficient solution for the delivery of training and education in the energy domain. Our research examines the challenges and opportunities related to energy efficiency training within the construction industry. By integrating industry-specific insights, exemplifications, and case studies, we provide an in-depth understanding of the interconnection between energy efficiency education and digital solutions with the unique context of the construction industry. We underscore the importance of leveraging digital platforms as educational tools to foster a deeper understanding and adoption of energy-efficient practices. We demonstrate that educational solutions play a pivotal role in driving awareness and interventions for mitigating climate change, greatly empowering individuals and organizations to adopt energy-efficient practices and to address sustainability objectives.
... restaurants), or they may inadvertently create incentives for companies to reformulate their products in ways that are not actually more sustainable. On the other hand, consumers may struggle to understand excessive private labels with diverse standards (Banerjee and Solomon, 2003). Therefore, careful consideration of the potential impacts and unintended consequences of food labelling policies is essential to ensure that such policies effectively promote the intended choices without creating unintended negative effects. ...
We conduct a natural field experiment investigating the efficacy of environmental information provision while considering its relationships with individual consumers’ habitual behaviour. A carbon label was introduced to the lowest-emission dish for each food category on the menu of a full-service restaurant; its efficacy was assessed by distinguishing its immediate impact on orders placed by the restaurant’s occasional and regular customers as well as the impact over time for repeated orders. We collected 1,737 customer orders – of which 1,200 were placed by 99 regular customers – taking advantage of an electronic ordering system that identified customers through a unique number. Independently of customer type, we find no immediate effect of the carbon label after its introduction. However, the probability of ordering an environmentally friendly dish increases significantly with repeated exposure and additional orders, albeit with a progressively diminishing effect. We discuss the importance of the repetition effect when assessing a new label, including implications for research and policy.
... Some studies have focused on EU instruments individually, and they rarely addressed the complete picture of the current regulation . Additionally, mechanisms in other countries have been analysed, such as the Japanese Top Runner scheme (Siderius and Nakagami, 2013), US programmes (Banerjee and Solomon, 2003;Rosenquist et al., 2006) like the Energy Star labels, labelling and standards in Australia (Harrington and Wilkenfeld, 1997) or Brazil (Nogueira et al., 2015), etc. There have also been reviews and reports on international comparisons of programmes Shi, 2014;Turiel, 1997;Turiel et al., 1997), but the complexity and changing nature of European policy has not allowed for a comprehensive review of the history of EU product policies. ...
The improvement of energy efficiency of products is a key pillar of climate and energy strategy in the European Union (EU). The first EU product policies were adopted in the late 1970s, and they have evolved to become a coherent set of implementing measures under framework directives that harmonise and refine the regulatory process. After years of weak implementation, considerable progress in terms of scale and ambition has been achieved in the last decade. In 2020, product mandatory measures covered 50% of the EU total final energy consumption, leading to 46 Mtoe energy savings. This paper describes the available policy instruments to promote energy efficiency and remove the market barriers hindering the penetration of the best performing technologies. It offers a review of the progress made over these last 40 years of EU product policies, describing the Energy Labelling, the Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), the Ecodesign Directive and the voluntary agreements (EU Ecolabel and Green Public Procurement). Moreover, it highlights the remaining challenges and provides policy recommendations to further exploit the EU potential to save energy from products.
... Extensive research over the years identify that heightened awareness of green issues; increased level of information availability on environmental sustenance; green advertising by corporations; increased concern for the environment; increase in popularity of green products by social and environmental charities as some factors. This overwhelming increase in the overall environmental consciousness among different consumer profile there have been efforts undertaken by firms to "go green" by presenting the concept of corporate environmentalism (Banerjee, 2003;Hay and Lichter 2000). Today green development are identified as opportunities by business firms as opportunities to improve their marketing niche rather than just actions which need to be carried out. ...
Green marketing, according to the American Marketing Association, is the promotion of goods that are assumed to be environment friendly. As a result, green marketing encompasses a wide variety of practices, including product alteration, modifications to the manufacturing process, packaging changes, and advertising changes. However, defining green marketing is a difficult challenge since many concepts overlap and contradict one another; one example is the existence of several social, environmental, and retail definitions for this concept. Environmental marketing and ecological marketing are two other concepts that are used interchangeably. The method of selling goods and/or services based on their environmental benefits is known as green marketing. This study aims at understanding the relationship between consumer perception and intention on green marketing and its strategies. A structural equation modelling was adopted for understanding the constructs relationship in the model. A non-random sampling technique was adopted in order to make a survey among the retail shoppers in Cochin. A sample size of 270 is well checked adequate with the power analysis using the G-power software. Green marketing does not have a great influence on all consumers. As a result, it is necessary to identify and focus product advertising efforts on environmentally conscious consumer segments. These sectors of the population are typically younger and more affluent.
... For instance, the EU directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in 2003 [1] and reviewed in 2012 [2] has inspired numerous scientific articles ranging from purely technical works that explore characterization studies, recovery schemes, material tests, etc. [3][4] to overarching policy development, implementation, evaluation and management across various spatial scales [5][6][7]. Other policies and initiativessuch as the Restriction on the use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) [8][9][10], eco-labelling [11][12] and ISO 14000 series [13][14] have been likewise influentialin stimulating firms to develop programs that transcend beyond cost reduction, quality improvement, productivity and efficiency into involving holistic views that capturethe interests of both environment and society. This development is strongly evidencedby the increasing number of approaches and strategies toward a more sustainable enterprise which includethe 5R approach, cleaner production, corporate social responsibility, sustainability reporting, etc. ...
... Fewer studies have evaluated the impact of energy labels on customer choices about household appliances, despite their increasing prevalence worldwide. Banerjee and Solomon [105] evaluated Green Seal, Scientific Certification Systems, Energy Guide, Energy Star and Green-e. Government programs, like Energy Star, were more successful than private ones. ...
One-third of all greenhouse gas emissions come from the world's building stock while accounting for 40% of global energy use. There is no way to combat global warming or attain energy independence without addressing the inefficiency of the building sector. This sector is the second consumer of electricity after the industrial sector in Morocco and is ranked third emitter after the energy sector and transportation sector. Using Ifrane as a case study, this paper examines and reviews the city's energy use and the initiatives taken to improve building efficiency. The findings showed that, during the analyzed period, i.e., from 2014 to 2022, Ifrane's annual electricity consumption climbed steadily from 35 to 43 GWh. The government of Morocco has implemented effective laws, guidelines and regulations, as well as publicized ways to reduce energy consumption and increase energy efficiency. However, gathered data and survey results revealed opportunities and challenges for enhancing Ifrane's efficient energy use.
The study also evaluates government programs, codes/standards and related actions for the improvement of household energy efficiency. As part of the review, the available literature was analyzed to assess the effectiveness of energy behavior and awareness, the impact of an economical and sustainable building envelope, the impact of building retrofitting programs, the importance of energy-performing devices and appliances, the adoption of smart home energy management systems, the integration of renewable energies for on-site clean energy generation and the role of policies and governance in the building sector in Ifrane. A benchmark evaluation and potential ideas are offered to guide energy policies and improve energy efficiency in Ifrane and other cities within the same climate zone.
... 1. We included meta-analyses based on a systematic search. Hence, we excluded meta-evaluations/program evaluations (e.g., ref. 4 and ref. 70) and internal meta-analyses. 2. We included meta-analyses in which the dependent variables were proenvironmental behaviors as defined above (10, p. 92). ...
Behavioral change is essential to mitigate climate change. To advance current knowledge, we synthesize research on interventions aiming to promote climate change mitigation behaviors in field settings. In a preregistered second-order meta-analysis, we assess the overall effect of 10 meta-analyses, incorporating a total of 430 primary studies. In addition, we assess subgroup analyses for six types of interventions, five behaviors, and three publication bias adjustments. Results showed that climate change mitigation interventions were generally effective (dunadjusted = 0.31, 95% CI [0.30, 0.32]). A follow-up analysis using only unique primary studies, adjusted for publication bias, provides a more conservative overall estimate (d = 0.18, 95% CI [0.13, 0.24]). This translates into a mean treatment effect of 7 percentage points. Furthermore, in a subsample of adequately powered large-scale interventions (n > 9,000, k = 32), the effect was adjusted downward to approximately 2 percentage points. This discrepancy might be because large-scale interventions often target nonvoluntary participants by less direct techniques (e.g., “home energy reports”) while small-scale interventions often target voluntary participants by more direct techniques (e.g., face-to-face interactions). Subgroup analyses showed that interventions based on social comparisons or financial incentives were the most effective, while education or feedback was the least effective. These results provide a comprehensive state-of-the-art summary of climate change mitigation interventions, guiding both future research and practice.
... This is because there is an existence of a direct relationship between the consumption of energy and organizational performance (Ahmed et al., 2020). However, the consumption of energy can be improved by improving its productivity and efficiency, whereas transformation towards environmentally friendly, green and renewable energy sources can also be a potential solution to attain a balance between development and pollution (Miku cionien_ e et al., 2014;Banerjee & Solomon, 2003). Moreover, it should be noted that the energy efficiency is not merely dependent on the increasing the level of productivity and consumption efficiency rather, it requires a serious attention towards transformation towards green sources, government support, prices, timely availability, taxation etc. (Hanley et al., 2009). ...
The manufacturing organizations are threatening the earth and its wildlife because of their growing concern about environmental pollution and industrial waste. Hence, in the present study, the three potential solutions, Green Intellectual Capital, Environmental Management Accounting and Energy Efficiency, are evaluated for excelling the organizational operations towards business sustainability and attaining the Competitive Advantage. With the assistance of ‘Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling’ on the dataset of 364 respondents from the manufacturing organizations in China, the outcome reported the positive and significant impact of all of the studied potential solutions in excelling and enhancing business sustainability and competitive advantage. Based on the findings, it is proposed that manufacturing organizations need to apportion due attention to developing the green intellectual capital, improve the level of consumption of energy and need to disclose their environmental management through proper Environmental Management Accounting.
... Many external constraints or encouragements guide consumers to engage in green behaviour, such as government policies (Banerjee & F I G U R E 8 The representativeness of the terms for each topic Solomon, 2003). Policy is the most direct way to address environmental issues, such as announcements of plastic shopping bag bans (Macintosh et al., 2020) and a total ban on importing plastic waste from nonindustrial sources (Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection, 2017) to control plastic pollution. ...
Despite the broad interest and rapid increase in studying green consumer behaviour (GCB) from a social perspective, related articles have been presented in a piecemeal fashion and have lacked a review of social roles in GCB. Additionally, the research focus may differ with the influence of digital technology. Therefore, this study draws on a review of 439 GCB articles that focus on social roles and utilises both quantitative and qualitative analyses to provide a general picture of theories, social factors, research topics and topic trends with a specific emphasis on the research differences between the traditional and digital contexts. The findings indicate that the GCB field has experienced exponential growth since 2014. Subjective norms, social influence, culture, marketing influence and social media influence are the main drivers of GCB. Eight research topics are identified, among which topics on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and the theory of consumption values (TCV) maintained high popularity. Furthermore, the TPB is more prevalent in the traditional context in which scholars prefer to predict GCB using macrosocial factors, such as policy and culture. In comparison, signal theory and commitment‐trust theory have received more attention in the digital context in which trust is vital. Research interests in online platforms and green hotels have recently increased in the digital context. Gaps and suggested directions for future studies are further identified.
... A second approach as important as LCA, which would allow this sustainability by reducing greenhouse gases and improving the efficiency of energy use, is the labeling; this latter make it possible to consider different environmental impacts along the life cycle of the building, which is why LCA has been used to develop certification of buildings and building materials [40]. This context of labeling has interested researchers who have dealt mainly with energy efficiency and building sustainability [41,42]. Others have studied the impact of product certification systems on the building sector [43,44], and the characterization of environmental performance [45], while some others have identified existing deficiencies in the labelling criteria development process and suggested a strategic and sustainable development framework [46,47]. ...
While traditional buildings have demonstrated their ability to provide a comfortable indoor thermal environment and to reduce their energy consumption, their ecological and human health performances are not widely known. This paper proposes a new approach to demonstrate and optimize the environmental performances of four traditional Saharan houses through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), mainly by intervening on the roof, which is considered as an identifying element of this architecture type. This approach is based on a system of indicators, developing algorithmic equations for six impact categories, and combining environmental, morphological and climatic aspects. The results obtained demonstrated that the voutain allows very close environmental performances to those of ecological houses, that the ecological aspect of the cupola can only be revealed by coupling it with a very high thermal inertia and that it is recommended to use a large cupola roof rather than a multi and small cupola roof for better environmental performances. Morphological and technical parameters values were proposed as a support tool for ecological design, ensuring the sustainability of buildings in arid climates.
... Based on consumer and manufacturer responses, Banerjee and Solomon (2003) have evaluated several eco-labeling programs in the US. It was found that public programs are more successful in promoting energy efficiency than private programs because governmental support is capable of intensifying a program's credibility, financial stability, and long-term viability. ...
The idea of eco‐labeling is to provide customers with an easy‐to‐understand signal regarding the ecological impact of using a product or service. With this paper, we propose an eco‐labeling system for freight transportation. We discuss design options based on a common emission reporting standard and a related communication protocol. We further explain a procedure for deriving labels for shipments of goods and provide examples illustrating and evaluating the labeling process at selected land‐based freight transport services. Results indicate that eco‐labels can grade the environmental impact of a transport service reliably, even if heterogeneous goods are moved together. Finally, we outline challenges for future research associated with eco‐labeling in freight transportation markets.
... For instance, the dominance of the US in weighted virtual water import goes up prominently, with the proportion of virtual water import volume to its total trade fluxes rising from 88% in Fig. 5b to 98% in Fig. 5c. Under this circumstance, measures such as eco-labeling scheme (making environmental information of products available to consumers) and targeted international funds may be attempted in order to compensate for the water-scarce exporters (Banerjee and Solomon, 2003;Wang et al., 2020). In addition, the rationality of Multiplier is verified by testing how weighted virtual water volume was amplified distinguishably when flowing from a relatively water-scarce country to a relatively waterabundant one (Fig. S7). ...
With the increasing contradiction between water demand and supply in a telecoupled society where nature and human interplay intensively over distance, virtual water trade (VWT) plays an indispensable role in global water use sustainability. There has been little quantitative analysis of global water use sustainability depicting both overall system characteristics and flows between subsystems. In such a context, the extent to which virtual water transfer deviates from possible ideal expectations (i.e., virtual water flows from water-abundant regions to water-scarce ones), and its impact on global water use sustainability, are not well evaluated. Therefore, the global VWT vulnerability framework is proposed to delineate the gap between the real VWT and the possible optimal scenario, providing potential space for future optimization and regulation. Represented by the ratio of weighted total virtual water volume to the original one, the vulnerability is assessed from 2005 to 2015 based on the Eora input-output database and Virtual Water Transfer Multiplier which assigns differentiated weights to per unit volume of virtual water transfer based on the water stress levels of importers and those of exporters. Results show that the global VWT vulnerability has increased by 18.9% during the study period, with Africa and Southern and Central Asia making the biggest contribution. Developed countries contributed around 80% of the increased global VWT vulnerability. However, the proportion has fallen a bit, in terms of the conventional view of developed countries taking the approach of transferring responsibility to developing countries. Instead, the proportions of transferring responsibility between developing countries have rose by 10% to 30% during 2005–2015, partially due to stronger trade ties among developing countries. Our findings support policy decisions on tracing environmental responsibility for water scarcity and call for action to prevent water ecological downsides due to international trade.
... 16. There is a body of literature looking at the effect of energy-efficient labeling (e.g., Energy Star) on consumer purchase behavior (see Banerjee & Solomon, 2003 for a review). Generally, this research suggests that labeling products as more energy efficient and/or cost effective increases the willingness to pay for such appliances (e.g., Shen & Saijo, 2009;Ward et al., 2011;Houde, 2018) and, ultimately, the adoption of such appliances (Newell et al., 1999;Sanchez et al., 2008;Newell & Siikamäki, 2014). ...
A recent trend has been a move toward greater reliance on renewable or “green” energy sources, especially in the residential sector. Using a choice experiment, this paper examines how providing information regarding the efficiency, cost, and environmental impacts of different power-generating sources impact consumers’ stated preferences for selecting voluntary green-power plans. Based on 21,000 plan choices from two different samples totaling over 1,800 respondents, our results indicate that information nudges significantly impact respondents’ choice of plan. Promoting the advantages of the green plan or the disadvantages of the “gray” plan increase green plan selection. The magnitudes of these estimated effects are economically significant being roughly equivalent to a change in the monthly green price premium of $4/month. We also find that promoting the advantages of the green plan is more effective when the green plan premium is relatively small, while highlighting the drawbacks of the gray plan is more effective when the green plan premium is relatively large. Our results suggest that information nudges have the potential to be a plausible, economical, and effective mechanism to increase adoption of voluntary green-power plans.
... 16. There is a body of literature looking at the effect of energy-efficient labeling (e.g., Energy Star) on consumer purchase behavior (see Banerjee & Solomon, 2003 for a review). Generally, this research suggests that labeling products as more energy efficient and/or cost effective increases the willingness to pay for such appliances (e.g., Shen & Saijo, 2009;Ward et al., 2011;Houde, 2018) and, ultimately, the adoption of such appliances (Newell et al., 1999;Sanchez et al., 2008;Newell & Siikamäki, 2014). ...
The objective of this analysis is to shed light on the impact—on electricity prices and net costs borne by the consumer—of the introduction of the Capacity Market.The analysis uses the ‘surprise’ announcement of the introduction of a Capacity Market Early Auction to assess its impact on wholesale prices using the ‘differ-ence-in-differences’ (did) method. Although we cannot exclude entirely the possibility of other drivers, our results suggest that the announcement of introduction of the Early Auction may have reduced the spread between peak and base prices by £0.84/MWh. This may be consistent with a reduction in wholesale revenues of about half the total value of the Capacity Market of £380 million. Our research is subject to a number of assumptions and accompanying caveats which we spell out.
... Energy education started to develop rapidly as a discipline in the 1990s. It comprises the following two main directions: the first is professional education and the second is related to developing energy skills, mainly in children and adolescents [48,49,[51][52][53][54][55][56]. ...
Energy education of the younger generation, who are the future decision makers, investors, consumers, scientists, or skilled labor force in new energy technologies, is crucial for the future of Europe and the world. However, beyond the long-term goals of energy education policies, the short-term effects on energy conservation and the promotion of renewable energy sources are equally as important. The main purpose of the paper is to identify and analyze the behavior of students (who study the issues related to energy saving and RES), in terms of energy conservation. The conducted analysis focused on examining and comparing the scope of responses of the surveyed students in individual countries, especially in the Czech Republic, Poland, and Ukraine. The survey was carried out using the computer-assisted web interview (CAWI). Descriptive and graphical methods were used to present the results. Statistical analysis of the collected data included basic measures of descriptive statistics and the chi-square test. The main results of the study are as follows: Almost 60% of the surveyed students follow the principles of energy conservation; however increased educational activities on eco-energy behaviors is recommended. The share of RES in the heating systems of the studied residential buildings is 9%, on average, with the highest percentage of houses in Poland (14%) and the lowest in Ukraine (only 2.6%). When compared with literature reports, the collect data show that educational activities can be as effective as a tool in implementing RES and pro-environmental behaviors as the government’s environmental policy and household subsidies.
... In this paper, we focus on energy labels as the most commonly used instrument for addressing informational failures and reducing the energy efficiency gap. They do so by highlighting the energy efficiency level and the energy consumption of a product (Banerjee and Solomon 2003;Carroll et al. 2016;Heinzle and Wüstenhagen 2012;Lucas and Galarraga 2015). Energy labels often provide additional information such as water consumption or noise level. ...
Energy labels are one of the most widely used policies in the European Union for increasing the energy efficiency of household appliances. However, their effectiveness in promoting energy-efficient purchases has sometimes been called into question. One of the reasons for this is that consumers may have difficulties in fully understanding the energy consumption information provided on labels (in kilowatt-hour per year). Some authors argue that to avoid this problem energy consumption information should be converted into monetary information. We analyse whether providing monetary information on lifetime energy savings can significantly increase purchases of energy-efficient appliances. To that end, a field experiment was carried out with small retailers in Spain. The experiment involved three types of appliances: washing machines, fridges and dishwashers. The impact of monetary information on actual purchases of appliances was tested in different ways: (i) by including a monetary label to display energy savings during the lifetime of the product; (ii) by the monetary information provided by sales staff; and (iii) by combining (i) and (ii). We find that the effectiveness of providing monetary information depends on the appliance and the specific way in which the information is provided. For washing machines, providing monetary information through a monetary label seems effective in promoting the purchase of highly energy-efficient appliances. However, for fridges, both monetary information provided by staff alone and the combination of the monetary label and information from sales staff seem to be effective in promoting purchases of A+++ fridges. Surprisingly, no effect is found for dishwashers.
... In this sense, a similar effect can be expected to that which has been achieved by the energy labeling of household appliances. Labels such as Energy Star have become very valuable and individuals are incited to acquire a new household appliance when they have energy certification labels [4]. ...
We live in an era in which the most valued services are not paid for in money, but in personal data. Every day, service providers collect the personal information of billions of individuals, information that sustain their infrastructure by marketing profiles labeled with this information to personal data consumers, such as advertisers. Not all uses of this personal data are for marketing; data consumers can also include, for instance, public health authorities tracking pandemics. In either case, individuals have undergone a process of Personal Data Gentrification, as data ownership has shifted from individuals to service providers and data consumers, as if the data is worth nothing to the individuals; these new owners then harness the data to obtain large profits. Current privacy-enhancing technologies are beginning to allow individuals to control and share less information. However, not sharing individuals' personal information at all could lead to Personal Data Blight, in which the potential of personal data in applications that benefit all of society remains forever latent. In this paper, we propose Personal Data Enfranchisement as a middle ground, empowering individuals to control the sharing of their personal information to shift the business flows of personal information. Based on these insights, we propose a model to gradually and incrementally make a shift from our current situation towards one of Personal Data Enfranchisement. Finally, we present a roadmap and some challenges towards achieving this bold vision.
... While neutral labels provide declarative knowledge (the number of emissions), consumers do not know how to interpret such labels based on this (noncomparative) information [10,22]. Third, the labels must be simple as follows: the labels must provide sufficient information to be understandable while avoiding information overload [13,23]. This requirement represents a balance that is certainly difficult achieve despite the use of icons and colors [21]. ...
Carbon labels are considered a fundamental tool for reducing emissions associated with grocery products. Although the prior literature has shown that both limited motivation and understanding of carbon labels explain the effectiveness of carbon labels, knowledge regarding how to improve the label design to increase noticeability is limited. Given the limited motivation of mainstream consumers to use carbon labels, this exploratory paper proposes that the label design should trigger bottom-up (or sensory-driven) attention mechanisms. Using grounded theory for the data collection and analysis of six focus groups, this study tests six features (i.e., location, size, color, icons, a colored background or border, and textual anchors) and identifies four design criteria (i.e., vividness, incongruity, simplicity, and clarity) that may increase label noticeability. The main conclusion of this qualitative study is that carbon labels are noticed when they are perceived as a cue of hazard. Based on this finding, we propose that carbon labels could be designed as warning labels; therefore, the insights already proven in the warning label literature should be applied to carbon label design to increase its noticeability and use.
... Energy Star appliances' adoption is expected to result in house electricity cost savings of $164 million per year and associated carbon emission reductions of about 1.1 million metric tons per year (Murray and Mills 2011). Interestingly it was found that in ecolabeling initiatives, government programs are in general much more successful than the private programsas government support prove to be crucial in determining a program's credibility, financial stability, and long-term viability (Banerjee and Solomon 2003). Unfortunately, it is important to note that while most renewable energy policies have been focused on power generation, policies for the heating and cooling and transport sectors have remained virtually stagnantsignaling that the situation is unlikely to reverse. ...
... A well-known example of rating labels is the European Union (EU) Energy Label implemented in the 1990s, which has been seen as a significant policy for promoting the usage of energy-efficient household appliances by informing consumers of credit ratings (Bull, 2012;Mills & Schleich, 2010). In addition, the Energy Guide in the United States, a typical comparative label program pushed by the government, has been observed as a more successful program than private counterparts due to the credibility, financial stability, and long-term feasibility (Banerjee & Solomon, 2003). Furthermore, information-only labels implemented on air conditioners in the Philippines in 1994 saved 6 MW of power installed capacity, or 17 million kilowatts of electricity, in the first year of implementation; this was evaluated as a successful program as well (Xin & Zhu, 2000). ...
As a part of China’s energy conservation and emission reduction policy system, the China Energy Label plays an important role in promoting energy-efficient technology progress and product sales. In this article, we comprehensively review China’s energy labeling policy portfolio, consisting of the Energy-Efficiency Label Management Approach, the financial subsidy, and “top runner” programs. To evaluate the effectiveness of the energy labeling policy portfolio, we further analyze the influence of the energy labeling policy portfolio on the electricity consumption of household appliances. According to our results, the China Energy Label played an active role in slowing the growth rate of residential electricity consumption during 2007–2010, but its effectiveness was not satisfactory in the period 2011–2012. The reasons and countermeasures are discussed herein to address this problem. Moreover, to further enhance the effectiveness of the China Energy Label, policy implications are proposed for long-term successful implementation.
This study aims to identify the key barriers influencing green supply chain management (GSCM) practices for the construction industry. The study is based on a survey of 20 manager-level employees from the Indian construction industry. Considering the extensive literature review and expert opinion, 15 key barriers influencing GSCM practices were identified and the interrelationship among them was established using multi-criteria-based Interpretative Structure Modelling methodology. Furthermore, by using Matrix Cross-Reference Multiplication Applied for Classification analysis, the barriers were classified as autonomous, dependent, linkage, and independent barriers to understand their relative importance. The barriers were grouped into a three-group hierarchy and it was found that the lower group of barriers, that is, green design, suppliers and green materials, certifications, and financial constraints were highly influencing GSCM practices implementation. The study can help construction practitioners develop a supply chain strategy focusing on critical barriers hindering the adoption of GSCM practices.
The need for effective communication, public outreach and education to increase support for policy, collective action and behaviour change is ever present, and is perhaps most pressing in the context of anthropogenic climate change. This book is the first to take a comprehensive look at communication and social change specifically targeted to climate change. It is a unique collection of ideas examining the challenges associated with communicating climate change in order to facilitate societal response. It offers well-founded, practical suggestions on how to communicate climate change and how to approach related social change more effectively. The contributors of this book come from a diverse range of backgrounds, from government and academia to non-governmental and civic sectors of society. The book is accessibly written, and any specialized terminology is explained. It will be of great interest to academic researchers and professionals in climate change, environmental policy, science communication, psychology, sociology and geography.
The need for effective communication, public outreach and education to increase support for policy, collective action and behaviour change is ever present, and is perhaps most pressing in the context of anthropogenic climate change. This book is the first to take a comprehensive look at communication and social change specifically targeted to climate change. It is a unique collection of ideas examining the challenges associated with communicating climate change in order to facilitate societal response. It offers well-founded, practical suggestions on how to communicate climate change and how to approach related social change more effectively. The contributors of this book come from a diverse range of backgrounds, from government and academia to non-governmental and civic sectors of society. The book is accessibly written, and any specialized terminology is explained. It will be of great interest to academic researchers and professionals in climate change, environmental policy, science communication, psychology, sociology and geography.
The need for effective communication, public outreach and education to increase support for policy, collective action and behaviour change is ever present, and is perhaps most pressing in the context of anthropogenic climate change. This book is the first to take a comprehensive look at communication and social change specifically targeted to climate change. It is a unique collection of ideas examining the challenges associated with communicating climate change in order to facilitate societal response. It offers well-founded, practical suggestions on how to communicate climate change and how to approach related social change more effectively. The contributors of this book come from a diverse range of backgrounds, from government and academia to non-governmental and civic sectors of society. The book is accessibly written, and any specialized terminology is explained. It will be of great interest to academic researchers and professionals in climate change, environmental policy, science communication, psychology, sociology and geography.
The need for effective communication, public outreach and education to increase support for policy, collective action and behaviour change is ever present, and is perhaps most pressing in the context of anthropogenic climate change. This book is the first to take a comprehensive look at communication and social change specifically targeted to climate change. It is a unique collection of ideas examining the challenges associated with communicating climate change in order to facilitate societal response. It offers well-founded, practical suggestions on how to communicate climate change and how to approach related social change more effectively. The contributors of this book come from a diverse range of backgrounds, from government and academia to non-governmental and civic sectors of society. The book is accessibly written, and any specialized terminology is explained. It will be of great interest to academic researchers and professionals in climate change, environmental policy, science communication, psychology, sociology and geography.
The need for effective communication, public outreach and education to increase support for policy, collective action and behaviour change is ever present, and is perhaps most pressing in the context of anthropogenic climate change. This book is the first to take a comprehensive look at communication and social change specifically targeted to climate change. It is a unique collection of ideas examining the challenges associated with communicating climate change in order to facilitate societal response. It offers well-founded, practical suggestions on how to communicate climate change and how to approach related social change more effectively. The contributors of this book come from a diverse range of backgrounds, from government and academia to non-governmental and civic sectors of society. The book is accessibly written, and any specialized terminology is explained. It will be of great interest to academic researchers and professionals in climate change, environmental policy, science communication, psychology, sociology and geography.
Political Consumerism captures the creative ways in which citizens, consumers and political activists use the market as their arena for politics. This book theorizes, describes, analyzes, compares and evaluates the phenomenon of political consumerism and how it attempts to use market choice to solve complex globalized problems. It investigates theoretically and empirically how and why consumers practice citizenship and have become important political actors. Dietlind Stolle and Michele Micheletti describe consumers' engagement as an example of individualized responsibility taking, examining how political consumerism nudges and pressures corporations to change their production practices, and how consumers emerge as a force in global affairs. Unlike other studies, it also evaluates if and how consumer actions become effective mechanisms of global change. Stolle and Micheletti offer a candid discussion of the limitations of political consumerism as a form of participation and as a problem-solving mechanism.
Political Consumerism captures the creative ways in which citizens, consumers and political activists use the market as their arena for politics. This book theorizes, describes, analyzes, compares and evaluates the phenomenon of political consumerism and how it attempts to use market choice to solve complex globalized problems. It investigates theoretically and empirically how and why consumers practice citizenship and have become important political actors. Dietlind Stolle and Michele Micheletti describe consumers' engagement as an example of individualized responsibility taking, examining how political consumerism nudges and pressures corporations to change their production practices, and how consumers emerge as a force in global affairs. Unlike other studies, it also evaluates if and how consumer actions become effective mechanisms of global change. Stolle and Micheletti offer a candid discussion of the limitations of political consumerism as a form of participation and as a problem-solving mechanism.
What will electricity and heat demand look like in a low-carbon world? Ambitious environmental targets will modify the shape of the electricity sector in the twenty-first century. 'Smart' technologies and demand-side management will be some of the key features of the future of electricity systems in a low-carbon world. Meanwhile, the social and behavioural dimensions will complement and interact with new technologies and policies. Electricity demand in the future will increasingly be tied up with the demand for heat and for transport. The Future of Electricity Demand looks into the features of the future electricity demand in light of the challenges posed by climate change. Written by a team of leading academics and industry experts, the book investigates the economics, technology, social aspects, and policies and regulations which are likely to characterize energy demand in a low-carbon world. It provides a comprehensive and analytical perspective on the future of electricity demand.
Industrial energy audit is one of the main strategies to improve energy efficiency. Usually, as an energy audit output, several improvement alternatives are provided. Choosing the best alternative has been detected as one of the main barriers in adopting energy efficiency projects. This work contributes to this decision-making process with a case study from an Argentine industrial plant. The project includes the installation of a micro-turbine within the steam system to generate electricity. To address the decision-making process, the historical records of steam system flows associated with energy consumption and costs were analysed. The project allows to reduce the annual energy consumption of the whole industrial plant by 6%. Furthermore, the investment needed for the project is recovered in around 4 years, and after a 10-year period, the project will refund more than 240,000$ plus the discount rate. The project reduces CO2 emissions by over 1000 tons per year.
Purpose
This research examines how the design of the online energy label can be improved to stimulate consumer choice of energy-efficient household products in Web stores. Based on general evaluability theory, the authors propose new label formats that aim to improve the evaluability of the label information for consumers and test their influence during two distinct stages in the online decision-making process: consideration set formation and final choice.
Design/methodology/approach
Two large-scale controlled online experiments are conducted with over 10,000 consumers in 10 European countries. The experiments test label alternatives in simulated online store environments, mimicking the two distinct decision stages, for four product categories to enhance generalizability. The data are analyzed using random-intercept linear and logistic regression models to account for their multi-level structure.
Findings
The results show that the impact of the online energy label on consumers’ online decision-making depends on both the label format and the decision stage (consideration vs choice), but in a different way than expected. The findings reveal that the current online energy label is significantly outperformed by a label that provides reference information by incorporating the scale range. This alternative label is particularly effective in the consideration set formation stage, and among consumers who consider energy efficiency a relatively unimportant choice criterion.
Research limitations/implications
Online energy labels encourage consumers to consider and choose more energy-efficient products, especially if scale range information is included. The present results stress the importance of presenting this information early on in the online decision process. They also show that, particularly at this early stage and particularly for consumers who find energy efficiency a relatively unimportant choice criterion, label format matters.
Practical implications
The present findings provide important input for policymakers in the context of the ongoing revision of the EU energy label. They also help online retailers make decisions about when and how to present product information on their websites.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature on product labelling by examining the effects of relatively unexplored types of reference information in two distinct stages of the consumer decision-making process. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to test the effectiveness of the online energy label.
In recent years, an increasing number of studies adopting the experimental method have appeared in Public Administration journals. It has been argued that the advantage of experiments in behavioral sciences is that researchers can control contextual factors while investigating the effect of manipulations on a variable of interest. Another point is that experiments can be replicated and, thus, increase confidence in research results. However, replications are rarely undertaken, especially in the behavioral sciences. This article examines the results of the “Open Science Reproducibility Project: Psychology,” which replicated 100 experiments previously published in leading Psychology journals. Based on the findings of this project, we present seven recommendations to Public Administration scholars that can improve the quality of their experiments.
Energy efficiency labels have become an important tool in promoting environmentally friendly products. This paper provides insights into how to enhance the impact of energy efficiency labels in middle-income countries. Discrete choice experiments were conducted in Ghana (N = 876) and the Philippines (N = 797), examining whether appealing to attitude functions (the goals served by attitudes) can increase the effectiveness of energy efficiency labels of air conditioners. Local energy efficiency labels were modified to include different functional appeals to the benefits of energy efficiency of an air conditioner. A latent class approach was used to observe heterogeneities among respondents with regard to product attributes and functional appeals. Overall, we find energy efficiency to be an important attribute, which is valued more by people with higher environmental concern and knowledge. In addition, the effect of energy efficiency labelling can be increased by appealing to immediate attitude functions, to social-adjustive benefits (in Ghana) and to the expression of environmental values (in the Philippines). Functional appeals to delayed monetary savings appear to reduce the label’s impact. Results call for using contextually adapted campaigns to maximize the impact of energy efficiency labelling.
Abstract
Green marketing came out as an imperative topic among world community at the end of 1980 and early 1990. Scholars have found that the application of green marketing was at a minimum level till recent past. The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of green marketing on consumer purchase intention in Sri Lanka. Conceptual framework build up based on the green marketing mix and linked them in to consumer attitude and then tend to measure the consumer purchase intention with the support of literature. Green marketing was consisted with green product, green price, green place and green promotions dimensions and consumer purchase intention was consisted with cognition and affection dimensions.
The research sample was based on Matara district consumers who visit retail outlets for their consumer needs. Required data was collected 150 respondents through structured questionnaires. Data was analyzed by using partial least square modeling with the support of Smart PLS software. Original measurement model consisted with 32 items reproduced model was created by deleting 9 items.
Results showed that there are six hypotheses showed a positive relationship among variables and other four showed a negative relationship by proving that there is a positive impact of green marketing mix on consumer purchase intention. This research contributes to academics to study on green consumer behavior and managers to make their actions on green marketing and policy makers on their future decisions on environmental protective actions. The study has carried out based on FMCG market and this can be extent in to industrial goods, luxury goods and semi luxury goods in future research needs. The same study can be further extent by using extended marketing mix (7Ps) as this study has been carried out with using marketing mix (4Ps).
Key Words: Consumer, Consumer attitude, green marketing, marketing mix, purchase intention
Increasing trade cooperation under the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative has promoted economic development and intensified the water scarcity risk transmission between China and countries along the route (B&R countries). Local water scarcity risk (LWSR, the potential direct production losses induced by local water scarcity) can transcend geographical boundaries through global supply chains and influence production activities in downstream economies. To understand the vulnerability of the Initiative to water scarcity, we investigated the impacts of LWSR in China and B&R countries on each other's economies during 2001-2013, using a global environmentally extended multi-regional input-output model. Results reveal that more than 80% of China's trade-related water scarcity risk imports (TWSR imports, the vulnerability to foreign water scarcity risk through imports) originates from B&R countries. The share of TWSR from China in total imports of B&R countries has steadily increased. In particular, India, Thailand, Iran, Pakistan and Kazakhstan have the largest TWSR exports (LWSR in each nation transmitted to other nations through its exports) to China, while South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia have the largest imports from China. Water scarcity to their Agriculture sectors is responsible for TWSR transmission between them. Our study can contribute to the policy-making of governments and firms involved in mitigating the supply chain wide water scarcity risk. It also reveals the need for nations to collectively manage water resources to achieve sustainable development.
The extraction rate of some raw materials is relatively high in comparison with the economically exploitable amounts in the Earth’s crust. Within a period of a century or so, these materials may become difficult to afford for future generations, unless timely measures are taken to keep these materials also available for future generations. The price mechanism of the free market may not react timely enough to future geological scarcity. The free market price mechanism reacts to today’s and tomorrow’s developments but does not necessarily take account of the interests of future generations, which are still at least decades ahead. To overcome this limitation of the market, mineral resources governance and policy need to be designed, agreed upon and implemented at a global scale. We analyze and assess eleven different policy instruments for achieving a more sustainable use of eight scarce raw materials.
Purpose
There is an increasing awareness among manufacturers to make production more sustainable in Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia. Manufacturers are now urged to not only focus on the business profit but also concern on environment protection by producing green products. However, issues may arise regarding the preferences of customers on green products, which will vary due to the influence of cultural values. This will give an impact on the marketing of green products. The aim of this study is to identify the influence of cultural values on the green products design in Malaysia and Indonesia.
Design/methodology/approach
A pretest on the survey instruments was performed to ensure the reliability and validity of the questionnaire. The collected data were statistically analyzed based on the satisfaction level, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling.
Findings
The results showed that customer preferences in Malaysia were mostly influenced by uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation and power distance, excluding collectivism and masculinity. In Indonesia, the dimension of uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation had significant influence, whereas power distance, masculinity and collectivism dimension had no influence. Eco-label was identified as the most important factor for green products in Malaysia and having product services characteristics factor for product lifetime extension in Indonesia.
Practical implications
For practices, the cultural values and preferred characteristics identified in this study provide valuable information to policymakers and businesses on what draws customers toward green products in Malaysia and Indonesia. This finding can be used as supported data for the policymakers in order to achieve sustainable development goal (SDGs) in Malaysia and Indonesia.
Originality/value
The findings of this study provide valuable information for designers to design products with green characteristics that cater to the consumer market in Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as other countries which may have similar cultural traits.
Climate change, the accelerated industrialization of emerging countries, as well as the growing demand for transparency from stakeholders, are all factors that influence the environmental performance of companies. Thus, eco-efficient behavior can improve financial performance by increasing wealth generation and decreasing the volatility of listed financial assets. There is a lot of previous literature showing diverse results of the effect of eco-efficiency on corporate profitability, but this is not the case when we refer to risk. This study analyzes the relationship between eco-efficient behavior and the share price volatility of companies traded in emerging markets. For this purpose, a sample of 346 companies listed in 24 countries was studied for the period between 2010 and 2017. The results show a positive effect. Thus, the recommendation is that a clear commitment to eco-efficient investment can improve the environmental impact of companies, from the private, public, and institutional spheres.
Green growth has resulted from resource management, setting the speed for sustainable development. Eco-innovations are essential for the improvement of a firm’s performance with societal gains, demanding special attention from policy makers. This paper deals with the effect of policy actions on the enhancement of eco-innovation adoption. The Community Innovation Survey (CIS) 2012–2014 is used to estimate the impact of ‘carrots’ and ‘sticks’ on innovations with ecological benefits. In addition, the impact of a firm’s structural characteristics in ecological strategies is investigated. Regulations and taxes enhance eco-innovation, but grants are only relevant in the case of eco-innovations with external benefits. The firm dimension and non-technological innovation also increase the eco-innovation propensity. Embedding policy actions with environmental concerns will enhance social responsibility and promote resource preservation, providing waste as an economic value. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it aims to appraise the effectiveness of the different policy instruments applied in the adoption of innovation with ecological benefits with both internal and external benefits. Secondly, it aims to identify which firm characteristics determine these managerial strategies. Hopefully, light will be cast on the topic so that public and private decision-makers will be given recommendations for policy package design working towards smart and green growth.
This work presents a review that aims to characterize the policy evaluation practices regarding the public policies on energy, with a focus on the metrics: concerns, objectives, and indicators. As key novelty, emphasis was put into finding attributes and metrics that can be used to assess effectiveness, not only efficacy or efficiency. The concerns and objectives were organized into four categories: Institutional, Environmental, Economic, and Social. For every category, detailed and condensed concerns were identified. It was attempted to find indicators for every condensed concern, which resulted in 15 core indicators.
Green marketing and green labeling efforts in the coming era of customer choice should seek to learn from what worked, and what didn't, in the consumer goods industry—unless retail marketers want to relearn the lessons of the disposable diaper industry.
Green pricing programs are being offered by a dozen electric utilities in the US to give customers the option of paying more for their electricity to help fund the installation of environmentally friendly power generation. Photovoltaic panels have been installed on school roofs, new wind turbines are being erected in windy passes, and biomass and hydropower plants are running closer to capacity. This trend is being supported by increasing public enthusiasm for environmentalism and for renewable energy generation technologies. Moreover, the deregulation of the electric industry motivates utilities to seek strategies to attract specific segments of their customer base rather than merely mass produce everything.
Electric utilities are aiming to deliver new and tantalizing information services to consumers. Faced with impending competition and armed with an investment in telecommunications technologies that rivals that of the communications industry, electric utilities are exploiting the impressive capabilities of these technologies to provide advanced services to their customers. Many of these utilities are targeting the residential market.
Efficient use of electricity is undergoing 12 main transitions — in concept, content, scope, technology, implementation, regulation and market role — that make achievable savings far larger and cheaper than previously supposed. For example, large electrical savings are often turning out to cost less than small savings. Eight powerful classes of improvements can continue to keep end-use efficiency generally the least-cost resource. However, efficiency efforts have lately been diverted by a retail-wheeling myth which, if true, would only strengthen the business case for making very efficient use of electricity a core competitive strategy — with or without the rapidly approaching and radical decentralization of the electricity system.
Retail competition will offer customers a choice in their electricity supply. The voluntary Green-e program will certify environmentally sound green power products and help create customer confidence in these offerings through a code of conduct, disclosure provisions and public education.
The report documents the consumer response to over 40 examples of environmentally-oriented goods and services promoting source reduction, recycling, natural resource conservation and protection, animal species preservation, etc. Consumer responses to environmentally-oriented products is especially important since a key to success in recycling is consumer demand for recycled materials in products and packaging. The report provides useful information to industry and others interested in stimulating demand for environmentally-oriented products (such as those using recycled and recyclable materials).
Market transformation is a process whereby the energy efficiency of all new appliances, buildings, vehicles or other technologies substantially increases over a period of years. This paper presents a conceptual framework for market transformation and discusses policies and programs that can contribute to this strategy. It gives examples of market transformation efforts and looks at opportunities for future efforts.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Consumers will soon be able to select their own power company. To ensure that this freedom lowers the total social cost of electricity, customers need to know how their power is generated, and they need assurance that power sold as "green" really is so. The author argues that comprehensible, accessible information is essential for a properly functioning retail power market. He then discusses how to define green, the roles of new and existing power projects, the distinction between regulated green marketing programs and unregulated green power products, and the institutional arrangments for certifying green power. The paper concludes with seven recommended actions and principles for green power standards.Edward Holt is the author of the Green Pricing Newsletter, a clearinghouse of information about green pricing programs. He also heads Ed Holt & Associates, which provides energy consulting. He has served as a principal with the Regulatory Assistance Project and in various mangerial positions with Seattle City Light, a municipal utility. Mr. Holt can be reached at RR 2, Box 53 in lovely Harpswell, ME 04079-9604; (207) 798-4588; edholt@igc.apc.org.
The liberalization of electricity markets opens up new opportunities for electricity providers to differentiate their products along environmental characteristics. Due to considerable search and evaluation costs for the consumer, the success of green power products depends to a large degree on a professional communication strategy. Besides professional marketing, instruments like environmental labeling have attracted considerable attention. The present paper analyzes the fundamentals Of Voluntary, third-party eco-labeling of electricity products and compares different labeling approaches, which have been developed in Europe and in the US recently. We distinguish six major dimensions along which labeling schemes can differ and identify two main strategies to deal with the basic tradeoffs, correspondingly. Labeling concepts may either be simple, require low or medium environmental standards and strive for the support of at least one stakeholder group, Alternatively, eco-labels may judge a broad range of environmental impacts and integrate several stakeholder groups with opposing interests. Experiences show that labels of the first type can be set up quickly and have the advantage to set a standard early in the market. In the medium and long term, however, public awareness and potential criticisms may rise and rather simple eco-labeling schemes will have to be adapted. The paper finally discusses the prospects for a common European eco-labeling strategy.
Efficient use of electricity is undergoing 12 main transitions — in concept, content, scope, technology, implementation, regulation and market role — that make achievable savings far larger and cheaper than previously supposed. For example, large electrical savings are often turning out to cost less than small savings. Eight powerful classes of improvements can continue to keep end-use efficiency generally the least-cost resource. However, efficiency efforts have lately been diverted by a retail-wheeling myth which, if true, would only strengthen the business case for making very efficient use of electricity a core competitive strategy — with or without the rapidly approaching and radical decentralization of the electricity system.
Seal failure in critical applications can have severe implications, which is why it is important to detect problems and correct them before they develop further. This article looks at monitoring and controlling the dynamic behaviour of a noncontacting mechanical sea, having a flexibly-mounted rotor in a seal test rig. In particular, it focuses on detecting and controlling the contact between the rotor and stator that may cause severe face wear and imminent seal failure.
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