DOES INFORMATION OVERLOAD CROWD OUT ENVIRONMENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS IN CONSUMPTION?

This paper proposes a decision-making field experiment that explains how people respond to economic and/or environmental benefits of energy saving. A class experiment is conducted where respondents learn comparative benefits of using Compact Florescent Lamps (CFLs). Given a choice to receive two-pack CFL lamps or $10 cash, what information method increases the probability of choosing the two pack CFL lamps is studied. It is found that the probability of choosing two-pack CFLs increases the most when the respondents learn either of projected energy savings or reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases with CFLs.