Energy choices in households - consumption for sustainability

Consumption has become one of the most crucial factors, or tools, for managing development towards sustainability. Consumption offers different choices on the scale of more or less sustainable commodities. The politics and responsibility for the environment has to a large extent been transferred from an aggregate level of national politics to the world of everyday life. This paper investigates how different actors try to influence the choices made in the world of everyday life concerning energy. The study is conducted through interviews with different actors such as energy companies and municipal energy advisors, and by participating observation of practices where households are informed or educated in areas concerning energy. Another growing source of information and knowledge is, of course, the Internet. A number of different websites have been selected and analyzed in the same manner as other material. There are different ways to motivate households to change their energy behaviour. There is a strong conviction that in order to change behaviour, something must be gained, preferably economic gain. A more efficient way of living results in more money left in the wallet, and a positive side effect is that it is also good for the environment. The idea of efficiency might be the strongest one. Increasing efficiency is a way of not changing lifestyle but changing technical equipment and user routines.
Energibeteende i hushåll - en arena för förändring