TRANSFORMING VALUES INTO ACTIONS - ECOLOGICAL PRESERVATION THROUGH ENERGY-CONSERVATION

Overconsumption of nonrenewable natural resources (and the resulting pollution that the waste of energy produces) represents important ways in which the industrialized nations put stress on the earth's ecosystems. Several technologies to make better use of electrical energy for lighting, heating, and cooling are now available but dramatically underused by consumers. Three studies are reported that consider strategies to measure the cost efficiency and to enhance the use of new energy-saving devices. The roles that psychologists might play in identifying and counteracting resistances to change are examined.