美国科学60秒 SSS 2015-01-12（在线收听）

 This is Scientific American - 60 seconds Science. I'm Synthia Graver. Got a minute. It's obivious that say turning the lights off saves money, but being reminded that using less energy saves money may not be the most effective way to motivate consumer efficiency. Instead signing environmental and health benefits appears to be an even big influence. That's according to a study in the percedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Air-pollution from coal and natural gas plants has demonstrated impact on Childhood asthma and cancer. But that point has not been well communicated as a part of conservation effort. So the scientists monitored 118 Los Angelas apartments. The residents received access to real-timing information on household energy consumption down to the level of individual appliances. For slightly more than 3 months half of the households receieved weekly updates comparing their energy use to their most energy efficient neighbors along with their related cost savings. The other group received weekly messages about the emissions and pollution they generated and the resulting health impacts. The cost-savings groups did not change their behaviour significantly. But the group that received the health and environmental information reduced consumption by 8% compared to the control. And in household with children the effect was even stronger. They reduced their use by a warping 19%. Reseaches are showed that behavioral changes alone could lead to a 20% reduction in energy consumption, reducing carbon emissions by some 123 million metric tons each year. Seems like it could be possible to mournt a major conservation effort base on a right regular reminds. Thanks for the minute. For Scientific American - 60 seconds science. I'm Synthia Graver.