Paper or screen? Examining the effectiveness of messaging delivery means in promoting household energy conservation in China

With the advent of the Paris Climate Agreement and China ratifying it recently, there is a need to adopt a diversified approach to address climate change; this is especially the case of promoting residential energy conservation. This study is one of the first household energy intervention studies that focuses on the comparison of two message delivering means, paper-based versus instant messaging tool, as a platform for sharing energy-saving tips and engaging households to save energy in China. Conducted in several communities in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province of China, the effectiveness of using a widely used application known as WeChat in promoting household energy conservation is compared with that of using stickers. It was found that WeChat is the most effective is reducing monthly consumption, but the effects are short-lived. Comparatively, using stickers as a mean of engaging households produces more sustained results in terms of energy savings. This study also provides evidence to correlate the changes in energy consumption behavior with personal perception of one's responsibility and quality of life. That is, certain behavior can be triggered if residents are willing to impose energy ration in their households or are given more opportunities in the form of local programs that enable them to have more practices in energy conservation.