The expediency of bad habits: Why “inefficient” practices can play a positive role in transformative interventions for sustainable consumption

Abstract

Waste of resources is usually on the spot in software applications for residential sustainability, whose intervention model consists of detecting excessive consumption and helping the consumer reduce it. Excessive (and then ‘inefficient’) consumption, however, is more than a foe to track down and defeat: it reveals where sustainability collides with other priorities and constraints of the user. In the present paper, we discuss the hidden value of “inefficient” practices with the help of data from qualitative and quantitative studies conducted by the authors. We conclude suggesting how 'bad habits' could offer valuable insights to inform transformative interventions in line with the current emphasis on users’ empowerment.