Public Constructs of Energy Values and Behaviors in Implementing Taiwan's ‘Energy-Conservation/Carbon-Reduction’ Declarations

Abstract

The emergent crisis of global warming calls for energy education for people of all ages and social groups. The Taiwanese government has publicized 10 declarations on energy conservation and carbon reduction as public behavior guidelines to mitigate global warming. This study uses interviews with quantitative assessment to explore the values and behaviors of 91 Taiwanese people in implementing the declarations. The results of factor analysis reveal that the 10 declarations include 3 value constructs (nature, domestic technology, and transportation technology) and 3 behavior constructs (ease, driving consideration, and vehicle consideration). Correlation and regression analyses show that nature and domestic technology values can predict easy behavior (EB) but cannot predict either consideration behavior. Females have more positive energy values, but not energy behaviors, than males. Age is positively related to EB, and income does not play a significant role in determining either values or behaviors. These results have implications for policy-makers and educators, suggesting that strategies for promoting energy values and behaviors could be made more effective by focusing on relevant gender and age differences.

Keywords:

• Behavior
• Energy conservation
• Energy policy
• Public perception
• Value

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (NSC102-3113-S-004-001).