Molly Peterson/KPCC

Using shame to promote energy efficiency.

How much energy does your house consume? Customer of Pasadena Water and Power don't have to guess. The agency recently started sending out Home Energy Reports. The statements include standard information, including how many kilowatt hours you consume. The reports also rank customers against their neighbors on a scale from one to 100. A top ranking earns you two smiley faces, an average score gets you a single smiley face and a low score? Well, let's not go there. KPCC environmental reporter Molly Peterson explains why shame and competition just might convince residents to conserve energy.

Check out Molly's blog Pacific Swell for more of her thoughts on shame as a conservation tool.