Preliminary Findings of Responsible Consumption of Household Electricity in Developing Country

The significant increase in household electricity consumption poses severe repercussions for the environment, such as global warming due to excessive amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emission. The most feasible solution to address this issue is to change one's consumption pattern. This study introduces the notion of responsible consumption behaviour on household electricity usage, whereby every individual in the household should use household electricity only when necessary to minimize and avoid wastage. It is vital to understand of why consumers possessed positive attitudes towards the environment yet do not articulate such attitude in terms actual behaviour due to the attitude-behaviour gap. Hence, the main focus of this study is to understand what motivates Malaysians to use or not to use household electricity responsibly. Preliminary findings show that users do not use household electricity responsibly due to absent-mindedness and carefree attitudes. On the other hand, the responsible use of household electricity is due to habitual behaviour, household commitments, and future-orientations. As the findings of this study expand, it will enlighten policy makers to enact schemes to change consumption patterns, subsequently encouraging responsible consumption behaviour, with the aim of creating a sustainable environment.