A monitoring and feedback service as a way to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of consumption

This paper explores and assesses the acceptability of an Internet-based greenhouse gas emission monitoring and feedback service and its possibilities for motivating households to voluntary change their consumption behaviour towards a more climate-friendly direction. We studied consumers' experiences and assessments of the acceptability of such a service and its potential to promote the desired behaviour in a Finnish Climate Bonus research project wherein a demonstration version of the service was developed and tested. In total, 35 pre-selected consumers tried out and evaluated the service in day-to-day life for a period of 4 weeks. Online questionnaires, focus groups and an online discussion forum were used to collect their feedback. The results indicated that the service was well received among the participating consumers. Above all, the consumers regarded the service interesting and useful because it offered concrete feedback on the emissions caused by their own household consumption. All in all, the study indicated that a well-designed, easy-to-use and consumer-empowering monitoring and feedback service might be a potential tool to motivate people to reduce their consumption-based emissions voluntarily.