Document Type

Article

Author ORCID Identifier

Mahmudur R. Aveek https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9219-6730

David E. Rosenberg https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2163-2907

Journal/Book Title/Conference

ESS Open Archive

Publication Date

10-13-2022

Journal Article Version

Version of Record

First Page

1

Last Page

34

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 License

Abstract

Urban water managers face the challenge of sustaining conservation behavior. A review of 77 papers across water, energy, and environmental conservation was conducted to understand how programs encourage reduced water use. Motivators were external or internal. Theories of behavior change targeted different social-psychological factors. No single model addressed all aspects. Different message contents (water use, self-comparison, social comparison, leak information) and tactics (communication medium, frequency, program duration) reduced use by 0.5% to 25%. Reductions typically lasted less than a year. Quantifying the effects of specific motivators, message contents, and tactics was difficult due to varied contexts. Effective conservation messages included public pleas, comparisons, practical tips, and resource guidance. Managers can enhance message effectiveness by understanding user motivations, customizing content, using diverse communication channels, and fostering a conservation culture. Multi-year studies are needed to identify long-term effects and convert external to internal motivation.

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