ABSTRACT
Understanding human mind-sets, the people habitual attitudes and inclinations that determine how they interpret and respond to situations that influence energy consumption is a necessary step to maximizing energy savings. However, inducing people to change energy habits through education, rather than coercion, is extremely effective. A wide range of people, from the low profile millionaire next door to highly public figures, turn off the lights and do not consider it a failure, but rather, the right thing to do for themselves and the environment. Many people have the mind-set that conserving energy is inconvenient or requires a tremendous sacrifice. Organizations can make it much easier for employees to save energy by correctly labeling switches, providing employee-suggestion boxes, fostering communications, and rewarding the right behavior. It is important to understand and address the human aspects of why some of the people are more apt to conserve energy.
