Whose Carbon Is It Anyway? Exploring Household Dynamics in Sustainable Mobility Tracking

Transport behaviors are a major contributor to carbon emissions, and decisions are often made at the household level around what form of transport to take and when. Technology, primarily eco-feedback interfaces (EFIs) have been suggested to support users in making environmentally friendly choices. However, there is a lack in understanding of how the underlying social dynamics of households influence decisions around sustainable practices, particularly through the lens of mobility. To understand how to design technology to better support households in negotiating around sustainable mobility choices, the research team interviewed 21 participants across nine households, probing them with four low-fidelity mockups representative of EFIs from prior work. We found that the varied mobility-related responsibilities among household members, as well as varying perspectives on the environment, can cause friction in the utility of EFIs in the home. We suggest that designs can account for these factors through acknowledging varied roles and perspectives.