Turning off landscape irrigation when rainfall is adequate: what distinguishes intenders from nonintenders?

Abstract

ABSTRACT This research compared intenders, people who intended to turn off their landscape irrigation when recent rainfall was adequate, with nonintenders. Nonprobability sampling was used to access adult Florida residents who used automated landscape irrigation. An electronic survey instrument was used to collect information regarding perceptions, personal characteristics, and Theory of Planned Behavior variables pertaining to the target behavior. Data revealed intenders more thoughtfully considered how rainfall influenced the water requirements of their yards. Intenders were also more likely to have engaged in this environmentally desirable practice in the past. Also, among the most important differences between the groups, intenders had stronger personal norms, higher descriptive and subjective norms, greater perceived behavioral control, and more positive attitudes surrounding the behavior. People working to encourage urban landscape water conservation can improve behavioral intentions by targeting increased personal norms, and descriptive and subjective norms, the factors that best distinguish intenders from nonintenders.