Research

What we found, and how we found it

Controlled experiments on how people make environmental decisions. Data and materials go on the Open Science Framework as our partner agreements allow, and every study page identifies whether its evidence comes from a real financial choice or a stated choice.

Ski resort study

Preselecting a Donation at Ski-Resort Checkout

In a randomized simulated season-pass checkout (n = 96), participants made a real donation choice. Starting with a $10 contribution selected raised participation from 27% to 80% and average donation revenue from $2.13 to $5.14 per participant.

80%made a real donation with a preselected contribution
$5.14average donation revenue per participant
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Ski resort study

How Suggested Amounts Shape Giving at Ski-Resort Checkout

In a separate randomized simulated booking study (n = 102), the preselected contribution was $1, $5, or $10. With the same checkout and real donation decision, average revenue rose from $0.73 to $2.65 to $4.29 per participant.

$4.29average donation revenue per participant at the $10 amount
43%kept the $10 contribution selected
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Pilot study

Traveler Interest in Emissions-Aware Flight Ranking

In a 150-response simulated booking study, 74.7% of participants chose a platform that offered emissions-aware flight ranking. The dataset reports stated platform preference and identifies the next randomized flight-selection test.

74.7%wanted an option to include emissions in flight ranking
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Pilot study

Traveler Interest in Checkout Donations and Sustainable Fuel

In a 150-response simulated booking study, 72.7% of participants chose a platform that offered a voluntary forest-conservation donation. Among 138 fuel-choice responses, 65.9% chose a platform that allowed sustainable aviation fuel.

72.7%preferred having a donation option at checkout
65.9%preferred a platform that allowed SAF
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Pilot study

How Travelers Want Contrails Explained

In a 50-response simulated booking pilot, 54% preferred a combined CO2e translation of contrail impact. Ten percent reported prior awareness of contrails' warming impact.

54%preferred a combined CO2e translation of contrail impact
10%reported prior awareness of contrails' warming impact
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Pilot study

Testing a Better Checkout Donation Option

In a 100-person simulated booking pilot with real monetary donations, a revised checkout offer increased participation from 28% to 42%. In a separate 120-response preference question, 79.2% of travelers preferred having the option at checkout.

14%percentage-point increase in real-donation participation
79.2%preferred a donation option at checkout
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Working paper

Increasing Environmental Giving at Airline Checkout

Three confidential simulated airline booking experiments (N = 1,752) found higher consequential donation participation after integrated checkout-request redesigns. Phase 1 used real study payments; Phase 2 amount results are hypothetical projections.

29.7%donated real money with Airline A's redesigned request
18.6%donated with Airline A's baseline request
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Original research

New Empirical Evidence: Consumer Support for Environmental Restoration Projects

In an online stated-choice experiment with no money at stake, travelers were offered a one-tap reforestation contribution at a simulated flight checkout. 69% chose to add it, and 75% preferred the booking platform that asked.

69%chose to add the contribution (stated choice, no money at stake)
75%preferred the OTA with a contribution feature at checkout
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Active project

SolarSoiled: Pricing What Rooftop Solar Loses to Dirt

SolarSoiled detects rooftop arrays from aerial photographs, estimates system size, models seasonal soiling, and screens for Persistent Soiling conditions that merit closer inspection. The live tool keeps conditional persistent-loss scenarios distinct from confirmed energy recovery while field evidence improves the model.

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