Consumers ignoring 'green' products

February 26, 2010 | 10:31

Tags: #eco-friendly #energy-star #green #survey

Companies: #green-gadgets #retrevo

While our investigation into energy efficient hardware might have confirmed that choosing lower-power hardware can make a difference to your running costs if you're willing to sacrifice performance - or buy Intel processors - it seems that the public isn't yet switched on to the benefits of 'green' technology.

In a report released this week by consumer electronics site Retrevo - via CNet - a full 42 percent of those queried about their buying habits stated that they were unconcerned if "a gadget I buy is not green."

A further 16 percent answered the question of "do you feel guilty if you don't buy a green [energy efficient or otherwise environmentally friendly] gadget" with the rather more considered "no, because price is more important." Another 16 percent felt a twinge of guilt for buying power hogs filled with deadly chemicals, but would "end up buying whatever gadget I like best" regardless of its eco-credentials.

According to the survey, just ten percent of respondents used eco-friendliness as their biggest decider when buying electronic devices - promising to "usually buy the greenest gadget." Another 16 percent always tried to buy the greenest gadget, which alleviated their guilt when - for reasons of price or features - they opted for a less environmentally friendly model.

In total, that makes a whopping 74 percent who would buy whichever gadget had the best features, the best price, or caught their eye - which contrasts with just 26 percent making an effort to choose the environmentally friendly models on offer.

The survey also covers proper disposal of old hardware - with the respondents split fifty-fifty between wanting cash rewards for safe disposal of old gadgets and wanting the process of recycling your old hardware to be made easier - and energy efficiency ratings, with eighty percent of those questioned knowing about - and, more importantly, trusting in - the Energy Star ratings.

Do you make an effort to pick eco-friendly hardware, or do you think it's all a waste of effort? What do you do with your old technology when its time has come? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
Discuss this in the forums
YouTube logo
MSI MPG Velox 100R Chassis Review

October 14 2021 | 15:04

TOP STORIES

SUGGESTED FOR YOU