Green Terms Can Confuse Consumers

November 26, 2007

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

A green gap exists around terms such as energy efficiency, energy conservation, demand response, smart energy and clean energy, and customers’ understanding, acceptance and perceptions of value around those terms, according to an EcoPinion survey from EcoAlign, a new marketing agency launched by the Distributed Energy Financial Group. The green gap in communications is contributing to a growing misalignment between customers’ stated intentions, e.g., their desire to be more green or frugal with energy consumption, and their actual behavior.

According to the survey (download here), most consumers can’t articulate the difference between the phrases “energy conservation” and “energy efficiency,” while only 13 percent of respondents thinking energy efficiency has to do with saving money or cutting down on fuel costs.

Other findings:

To conserve energy, a quarter of consumers try to buy energy efficient products, and 19 percent lower their thermostats, with women more likely to take actions around conserving energy.
Only about one third, 30%, of Americans understand the term “smart energy” and about the same amount, 32%, say they are not doing enough in terms of “smart energy.”
One third of respondents do not know what “clean energy” signifies.
41% of consumers polled don’t know what “demand response” is, but nonetheless find it un-popular (44%), annoying (42%) and un-helpful (40%).

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Advertisers

Enhance Sustainability. Improve Profitability.

Learn how at the SAP Sustainability Resource Center. >>

Unclear about the EPA's new GHG Rule?

Learn how it could affect your business. >>

EPA mandatory emissions reporting starts Jan 1st

CSA Standards can help your organization get ready for compliance. Find out how. >>

Best Practices: Product Environmental Compliance

How to achieve compliance at a significantly lower cost. Download the full report. >>

Join the Discussion

Reader Comments

I am a green certifed company in the Boulder, Co area. I have noticed that since I have advertised my company as a green certified company and do have proof of all our certifications, my business has gone down in certain areas and increased in others. I have decided to change somewhat the green slogans in my ads and be more conscious that green in not understood or is a political word that has caused divisions or suspisions on some consumers due to it being used to often and not regulated as the words such as, natural or organic were in their days of glory. REgulation of the word green needs to be taken seriously, or a new symbol to represent a real green business/product needs to be addressed. Lady Bug Carpet Care, Deborah Nabozny

Deborah Nabozny | December 1st, 2007

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

11/24/2009
11/23/2009
11/20/2009

Charts [ see all ]

Government Intervention Required to Drive “Green” Technology

62% of Firms Assign Environmental Team for Green Goals

European Paper Industry Cuts CO2 Emissions by 42% since 1990

S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks

Jobs

View All Jobs >> Post a Job >>

Comments and Discussions

Meme Mine on WWF, WRI Make Last-Minute Pitches on Climate Change
"To the voting public, what the scientists say is irrelevant anymore for if you read..."

john on Electronics Boom, E-Cycling Lags
"When we fail to get the word out about e-cycling, we fail our consumers and our industry- I second..."

Btok on Canada Delays GHG Emissions Regs, Russia Ups Emissions Cuts
"http://www.infowars.com/dr-tim -ball-on-the-significance-o..."

ruffie on Wind Power Investments Grow in North America
"Anyone with any knowledge of the energy business in Canada knows that the majority of smart..."

Rod Johnson on Stimulus Package Delivers $2.4 Billion for Electric Vehicle Projects
"Will this stimulus be extended to other electric utility vehicles?"

Charli on Trade Group on EPA Chemical Regs: ‘If Everything is a Priority, Then Nothing is a Priority’
"Thanks Environmental Leader, for..."

James Beddingfield on Oceans May Trap more Carbon than Forests
"Another great thing about an ocean-based carbon sink is that it can’t..."

Environmental Leader