Assessing the Impact of Environmental Dashboard Digital Signage in Downtown Oberlin

Science Center A255

During the summer of 2014, digital signs were installed in several public locations throughout the town of Oberlin. These signs display content from Environmental Dashboard, a feedback technology that displays data and graphics related to city resource use. These signs also display content from Community Voices, photographs paired with quotes from community residents related to sustainability. The goal of this study was to determine whether community perceptions have changed since the installation of these digital signs. In particular, it was predicted that residents would have heightened awareness of sustainability-related issues, environmental systems, and local sustainability initiatives. Researchers stationed at the digital sign locations administered surveys to participants recruited on the spot. Independent samples were collected from two time periods: right before the signs were installed in summer 2014, and two years later in summer 2016. From 2014 to 2016, scores increased on many – but not all – of the scales of interest as predicted. Additionally, scores for certain scales did not change for white participants, but did for participants of color. In some cases, mediation analyses suggested that heightened awareness of Community Voices content explained these changes related to time and race. These results were in contrast with results from a separate study conducted by mail that showed no such improvements. Overall, these results suggest that the digital signs have had the desired impact. Implications and limitations of these results are discussed.