Evaluation of an informational and behavior change program to increase students' self‐reported energy conservation

A systematic evaluation of a program, consisting of sustainability education, self-management strategies, and feedback, to decrease college students' energy use was conducted. During treatment, the experimental group showed increased self-reported energy savings relative to baseline levels and relative to the self-reported energy use of the comparison group who were shown only an instructional video on conserving energy. Treatment gains were maintained at a 2-week follow-up. More participants in the experimental group rated their experience as resulting in learning something new about green issues and influencing their pro-environmental behavior compared to the comparison group. This study suggests that further research is warranted, specifically using these strategies in real-life situations.