On the perils of environmentally friendly alternatives
Environmentally friendly alternatives (EFA) are touted as a key component of a transition towards lowering the impact of human activity on the environment. Still, the environmental costs of these technologies are seldom null; they are simply less environmentally damaging than existing options. In th...
| Autor principal: | |
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| Formato: | Artículo |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
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Elsevier
2025
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| Acceso en línea: | https://repositorio.catie.ac.cr/handle/11554/12799 |
| _version_ | 1854966523948433408 |
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| author | Lanza, Gracia |
| author_browse | Lanza, Gracia |
| author_facet | Lanza, Gracia |
| author_sort | Lanza, Gracia |
| collection | Repositorio CATIE |
| description | Environmentally friendly alternatives (EFA) are touted as a key component of a transition towards lowering the impact of human activity on the environment. Still, the environmental costs of these technologies are seldom null; they are simply less environmentally damaging than existing options. In this paper, we investigate consumer behavior when an EFA is introduced. Using a carefully constructed field experimental design, we look at plastic bags vis-a-vis biodegradable (bio) bags, when the latter are offered for free versus at a price. Moreover, we explore offering costly biodegradable bags as part of the default choice. We find that giving away the bio bags for free results in a large behavioral rebound effect, resulting in a substantial increase in the total number of bags. Setting a small, rather symbolic price offsets this rebound effect completely. Interestingly, when the bio bag is offered as a default, the behavioral rebound remains. Our results lead us to conclude against providing these EFA for free and to caution against the use of subsidies to promote their uptake. |
| format | Artículo |
| id | RepoCATIE12799 |
| institution | Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| publisherStr | Elsevier |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | RepoCATIE127992025-05-14T22:53:20Z On the perils of environmentally friendly alternatives Lanza, Gracia Plastic pollution Behavioral rebound effect Field experiment Sede Central ODS 13 - Acción por el clima Environmentally friendly alternatives (EFA) are touted as a key component of a transition towards lowering the impact of human activity on the environment. Still, the environmental costs of these technologies are seldom null; they are simply less environmentally damaging than existing options. In this paper, we investigate consumer behavior when an EFA is introduced. Using a carefully constructed field experimental design, we look at plastic bags vis-a-vis biodegradable (bio) bags, when the latter are offered for free versus at a price. Moreover, we explore offering costly biodegradable bags as part of the default choice. We find that giving away the bio bags for free results in a large behavioral rebound effect, resulting in a substantial increase in the total number of bags. Setting a small, rather symbolic price offsets this rebound effect completely. Interestingly, when the bio bag is offered as a default, the behavioral rebound remains. Our results lead us to conclude against providing these EFA for free and to caution against the use of subsidies to promote their uptake. 2025-05-13T21:57:20Z 2025-05-13T21:57:20Z 2024-03-06 Artículo https://repositorio.catie.ac.cr/handle/11554/12799 openAccess en Journal of Environmental Economics and Management https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeem.2024.102967 12 páginas application/pdf Elsevier |
| spellingShingle | Plastic pollution Behavioral rebound effect Field experiment Sede Central ODS 13 - Acción por el clima Lanza, Gracia On the perils of environmentally friendly alternatives |
| title | On the perils of environmentally friendly alternatives |
| title_full | On the perils of environmentally friendly alternatives |
| title_fullStr | On the perils of environmentally friendly alternatives |
| title_full_unstemmed | On the perils of environmentally friendly alternatives |
| title_short | On the perils of environmentally friendly alternatives |
| title_sort | on the perils of environmentally friendly alternatives |
| topic | Plastic pollution Behavioral rebound effect Field experiment Sede Central ODS 13 - Acción por el clima |
| url | https://repositorio.catie.ac.cr/handle/11554/12799 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lanzagracia ontheperilsofenvironmentallyfriendlyalternatives |