Public Power - October 2008 - (Page 40)

Beyond the GREEN ic power utilities seeking to boost acceptance of energy efficiency in their communities face an enormous educational challenge. A study by a Tennessee advertising agency shows that consumers are largely complacent about energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. Despite a vast U.S. marketing and media coverage trend toward green affinity and awareness, most Americans admit putting personal comfort ahead of the environment, and a significant percentage voice ambivalence— even negativity—about increased media attention regarding the environment, reported the Shelton Group in a study on consumers and green affinity. The study, titled “Eco Pulse,” shows that most consumers behave as “armchair environmentalists at best,” said Suzanne Shelton, CEO of Shelton Group. “Many people who talk up their green purchases and lifestyles at a cocktail party really aren’t doing as much as they say.” Although most consumers know green buzz words, when asked “What does the term ‘green’ mean, as in green homes, green products, etc.?” most (56 percent) could offer only generic responses, such as “environmentally friendly” or “ecofriendly.” Another 8 percent were unable to offer an answer. The top specific answers were “energy efficient” (8 percent) and “natural or chemical-free” (5 percent). Americans vary in what they think makes a company green. When given a range of descriptions and activities to evaluate whether they qualified the company as “green” or not, 69 percent chose the strictest standard offered: “A company that uses renewable energy, has zero waste in its manufacturing process and produces ‘green’ products,” while 52 percent chose one of the weakest standards: “a company that recycles.” 40 OCTOBER 2008 Bandwagon Publ When given a list of criteria for deciding if a product is green, 33 percent of respondents said “manufactured with very little impact on the environment” was most important and 19 percent chose “made of all-natural materials” and “energy efficient.” Energy efficiency ranked relatively low on the list of criteria, although energy generation, particularly from coal-fired plants, is the largest contributor to greenhouse gases worldwide. The study showed that few Americans put their own environmental views into practice at the checkout counter. When 31 percent chose the environment, and 23 percent chose convenience. When asked if they feel like they are often asked to choose between their comfort and the environment, most consumers (48 percent) were undecided, but 26 percent agreed. A majority (78 percent) of consumers said green products sometimes to always cost more. Those who said they were interested in green also said they were willing to pay a premium for green products. A significant percentage (40 percent) admitted to a less-than-enthusiastic response to increased media attention covering human impact on the environment while 60 percent answered in a positive fashion (such as feeling better educated or glad as a result of environmental media attention). While a significant percentage of U.S. consumers do not agree that climate change is occurring and is caused by human activity, a sizable majority—nearly While a significant percentage of U.S. consumers do not agree that climate change is occurring and is caused by human activity, a sizable majority — nearly three-fourths — said a significant environmental slip-up can cause them to stop purchasing a company‘s products. asked, “How much, if any, does a company’s environmental record and/or practices impact your decision whether or not to buy their products?“ 49 percent said “somewhat” to “very much.” However, when asked a specific followup to this question, “Have you ever chosen one product over another based on the environmental record/practices of its manufacturer?” only 21 percent said “yes,” and of those, only 28 percent—6 percent of the total population—could name the actual product. When asked, “Given a choice between your comfort, your convenience or the environment, which do you most often choose?” 46 percent chose comfort, while three-fourths—said a significant environmental slip-up can cause them to stop purchasing a company‘s products. When asked “How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement: ‘Global warming, or climate change, is occurring, and it is primarily caused by human activity,’” 57 percent of Americans agreed or strongly agreed with this statement, with 20 percent disagreeing or strongly disagreeing (23 percent were unsure). When asked, “What would you do if you found out that a company that makes your favorite toilet paper and has been advertising itself as ‘green’ had received a government fine for failing emissions stanPUBLIC POWER

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Public Power - October 2008

Public Power - October 2008 Contents Perspective 10 Questions The Future of Fuels in a Carbon-Constrained World An Energy Revolution Energy Policy in 2009 and Beyond A Green Reincarnation Beyond the Green Bandwagon Reliability Green Energy Community Broadband Customer Service Hometown Connections Human Resources Parting Shot

Public Power - October 2008

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