Women as catalysts: Eco-literacy and adoption of energy-efficient appliances for a sustainable lifestyle

Abstract

Household energy usage is a primary focus of energy efficiency research due to its substantial potential for energy conservation and climate change mitigation over a long term. Policymakers worldwide have begun formulating regulations and taking initiatives to change behavior across communities. This research adopts the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to examine women’s perspectives on energy-efficient appliances (EEAs) leading to household low-carbon behavior. The model explores the role of “attitude”, “subjective norms”, and “perceived behavior control” in shaping the “purchase intent” toward EEAs. The study introduces explicitly contextual antecedents such as “environmental consciousness” that play a key role in capturing household “purchase intentions”. The study employs the structural equation modeling technique, measuring structural paths for direct and indirect relationships between multiple constructs. The findings show that “attitude”, “subjective norms”, and “perceived behavior control” positively predict the “purchase intent” for EEAs, leading to low carbon behavior, with significant moderation of “eco-literacy” in the model. Introducing “eco-literacy” as a moderator helps policymakers decide their efforts to promote environmental consciousness.