Communication and the Adoption of Energy Conservation Measures by the Elderly

Examined the relationship of communication to adoption of energy conservation behavior among homeowners in a community. 813 homeowners participating in the 5-yr study were divided into younger (HY (aged <65 yrs)) and older (HO (aged 65+ yrs)) groups. Analysis indicated that HYs adopted actions to save energy in the home at a faster rate than HOs. This suggests that energy-related content in the mass media bears stronger relationships with the perceived importance of the energy problem than with adoption of energy conservation behavior. The latter is associated more strongly with utility pamphlet reading, information requests, and utility audits, which provide more specific and customized information necessary for implementation of energy conservation measures.