This document discusses gatekeepers and their role in influencing consumers' energy consumption behaviors. It notes that while many Finns believe climate change is real and serious, changing energy consumption behaviors has proven difficult. It suggests gatekeepers like nurses, cafeteria staff, builders, lifestyle media, and work communities can influence behaviors through everyday interactions, as was done successfully in the North Karelia Project to improve health. The document also outlines the primary energy uses of households, including electricity, gas, heating, housing, transportation, food, and consumer electronics.

1. • Gatekeepers Changing Consumers’
Behaviour in Energy Consumption
• Future of the Consumer Society
• SESSION A.3: ENVIRONMENTALLY SIGNIFICANT CONSUMPTION
• Tuuli Kaskinen, Aleksi Neuvonen, Outi Kuittinen & Roope Mokka
• Demos Helsinki

2. 90 % of Finns think that climate change is a fact
85 % consider it a serious threat
80 % are ready to take personal action
Source: e2, Onpa ilmoja pidellyt, 2007

3. From willingness to action
through legislation?
through improved education and
information?
through economic incentives?

4. Changing people's behaviour and reducing
energy consumption has proved to be more
difficult than the surveys on attitudes or
technical possibilities would imply.

5. Well-known Finnish intervention success story
has been the improvement of national health
(especially cardiovascular/heart diseases) with The North
Karelia Project as its prime case.

6. Not only better health care services or visible
campaigns but also engaging...
• nurses at precautionary health care
• staff of the cafeterias in schools and work places
• food industry
• local NGOs
• opinion leaders of local communities

7. Portin
vartijat
– E LI KU I N K A T EH D Ä E N ER G I AN S ÄÄS TÖ S T Ä M AH D O L LI S TA

8. Statistics Finland or other official instances do not gather
data or publish statistics on total energy consumption of
households and consumers.

10. Primary energy use of households

11. Primary energy use of households
• electricity, gas and heating fuels

12. Primary energy use of households
• electricity, gas and heating fuels
• housing

13. Primary energy use of households
• electricity, gas and heating fuels
• housing
• transportation

14. Primary energy use of households
• electricity, gas and heating fuels
• housing
• transportation
• food

15. Primary energy use of households
• electricity, gas and heating fuels
• housing
• transportation
• food
• consumer electronics (impact on immediate increase of electricity
consumption has been notable)

16. Primary energy use of households
• electricity, gas and heating fuels
• housing
• transportation
• food
• consumer electronics (impact on immediate increase of electricity
consumption has been notable)
(Mäenpää 2004, 14 & Adato Energia 2008, 37)

17. Energy consumption and energy-related decisions are also
dependent on time consumption. An average employed
Finn uses 4-5 hours per day both at workplace and for
free time (Statistics Finland 2008).

24. Gatekeepers

25. Gatekeepers
relevant professionals

26. Gatekeepers
relevant professionals
mediators of public
and peer opinion

27. Gatekeepers
relevant professionals
mediators of public
and peer opinion
both

28. Gatekeepers
Customer service assistants
relevant professionals
Cafeteria staff
Builders mediators of public
“Managers” of everyday and peer opinion
Lifestyle media
Work communities both

29. Gatekeepers are not only top-down decision makers but
also people at everyday communication situations. They
offer information on new alternatives and persuasive
arguments during the decision making process.