Anthony Amoah
Central University, Ghana
Title: Environmental consciousness and choice of bulb for lighting in a developing country
Biography
Biography: Anthony Amoah
Abstract
Most countries in the world especially those in Asia and Africa despite undertaking policies meant to help meet Sustainable Development Goal 7, there are still a sizable number of households who have not yet fully embraced energy saving technologies. This study provides highlights on the economic and environmental benefits for investing in energy saving light-bulbs. Using a survey and a multistage random sampling approach, we administered questionnaires to 1,650 households in Ghana. The relevant diagnostic tests associated with cross-sectional data were undertaken. We estimated a maximum-likelihood probit model with its associated marginal effects to find out how choice is influenced by environmental consciousness and other demographic factors. Our results are consistent with economic theory as well as what earlier empirical evidence found in literature. That is, environmental consciousness (both local knowledge and global knowledge), education, income etc. are very important in explaining the choice of buying energy saving light-bulbs in Ghana. Besides advocating for information that will make society more environmentally conscious, we further recommend the use of fiscal policies (i.e. subsidies) to support lower income brackets who are predominant in developing countries.