Dan Gross may have gone into the project as a self-proclaimed ‘well-intentioned ignoramus,’ but he came out of the month-long “Efficient Life” experiment ready to put energy efficiency in practice. Weeks ago, the Slate.com writer posed a question to his readers: is there a better way for individuals to live a more energy-efficient life? To reduce their carbon footprints while at the same time reducing utilities bills?

The phrase that was liberally peppered into the expert-led conversation was ‘low-hanging fruit,’ as high-ranking U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) folks, utilities professionals and environmental writers all agreed that adopting energy efficiency into one’s daily routine is so simple that it’s difficult to find a way to communicate its simplicity.

David Katz, special assistant to the secretary at the U.S. DOE, said what is needed to get consumers involved in energy efficiency is a “fundamental shift in social norms,” much like the recycling quagmire of the 90s. By placing a conspicuous blue bin at the foot of one’s driveway, those in sight of the bin were compelled to do the same.

Katz, along with representatives from Grist Magazine, Consolidated Edison of New York and the Natural Resources Defense Council – comprised the panel of experts for the Efficient Life event, hosted at the glam House of Sweden (a cross between a convention center, an embassy and a nightclub). As part of Slate’s inaugural crowd-sourcing experiment – The Hive – guests were invited to listen to the panel and then break off into groups for a more intimate discussion of personal energy efficiency ideas.

The ideas ranged from psychological behavior solutions (using emoticons to influence energy-saving practices) to incentive-based competitions to engage children and adults. The 60-something man beside me at the roundtable chimed in: “My grandson does that Mario Brothers on the computer,” suggesting that competition is an innate human characteristic and should be incorporated into our energy-saving efforts.

A more cynical table buddy felt that reaching consumers with the message that energy efficiency is a no-hassle solution is impossible. Unlike recycling, making home energy efficiency upgrades requires more than separating plastics and garbage and rolling them out to the curb once a week. “You don’t see what your neighbors are doing inside the house,” he said.

The company OPOWER – catapulted to stardom after Obama visited its office in Virginia for a clean jobs speech last week – received recognition for its efforts to compare energy usage with a utility customer’s neighbor, thus providing a report card that grades these customers on how far they deviate from the curve. A statistical glimpse into a neighbor’s energy usage is one way to get a picture of their energy habits.

Katz noted that the government has so far tackled two of the three solutions he outlined for increasing energy efficiency: rebates and education. However, the third solution was the one that seemed to find unanimous consensus among the crowd: increase social pressure to be energy efficient.

It seems funny to think that something as trivial as a big yellow smiley face can significantly lower a consumer’s energy bills. But if the power of guilt and competition is the strongest force in getting consumers to live a more energy-efficient life, then that low-hanging fruit would be easier than ever to grasp – you just have to chuck it at someone else.

Learn more about engaging consumers in energy-saving practices at EE Global’s Executive Dialogue 1C: “Deploying the Most Potent Weapon in the Energy Efficiency Arsenal: The Consumer”