Changing public misconceptions about saving energy

New Scientist : A recent study , published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, indicates that efforts to encourage people to cut their energy consumption should emphasize the range of ways that they can do so effectively, according to Shahzeen Attari at the Center for Research on Environmental Decisions at Columbia University in New York. When it comes to trying to save energy, she says, many people make wrong assumptions. For example, most people assume that turning off lights and appliances when they are not using them is more effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions than switching to more energy-efficient devices, when really it’s the other way around. Because households and personal travel account for about one-third of US energy consumption and emissions, individuals have a huge impact on the environment and need to be made more aware of what they can and should do to reduce their carbon footprint.