Green Gadgets Study Reveals New Public Opinion

A new environmentally-themed electronic products study has given fresh insight into public opinion concerning green gadgets.

Carried out by Retrevo – a consumer electronics website – the study was carried out in February 2010 and involved some 1,000 participants based in locations across the United States. They included men and women, both old and young, and both relatively wealthy and poor contributors and, in general, they provided some evidence to support the idea that green gadgets are taking on significance in today’s world, albeit alongside more established ways of thinking that suggested more work could be done to alter consumers’ collective mindsets.

Green Gadgets Survey

The Retrevo green gadgets survey assessed several key areas including green gadgets versus traditional gadgets, Energy Star ratings and schemes similar to Energy Star, applying green knowledge to gadgets and strategies that could turn consumers more green.

When asked if they would feel any guilt over selecting a traditional product instead of a green one, around 420 people (42 per cent) said the ‘green’ factor wouldn’t influence their decision. 16 per cent, meanwhile, would see price as the most important factor and the same number said that green gadgets would take priority for them, while ten per cent said only the greenest gadget would do.

Greener Gadgets

The Energy Star energy efficient consumer products standard was established in 1992 and – as of 2010 – 55 per cent of people aged 25 and over (and 36 per cent of under-25s) used Energy Star ratings and believed in what they said, according to the study’s results. Twenty-seven per cent of 25+ year old participants (and 42 per cent of sub-25 year olds) believed in them, but did not make greener gadget selections based on them, while the remainder neither believed in them nor bought based on them.

In the green knowledge category, 21 per cent of participants said they bought green gadgets and applied the correct disposal methods to them when they were no longer wanted or required. 40 per cent said they had the knowledge, but admitted they didn’t necessarily apply it, 21 per cent didn’t have the knowledge but sought it, and 18 per cent simply had no wish to learn it.

Finally, 56 per cent of those taking part believed financial incentives were key to turning people greener, 47 per cent thought simplified recycling methods could help, 29 per cent called for more information and 17 per cent urged for new ‘green’ laws.

Retrevo’s study called on governments and manufacturers to take greater steps to try and encourage wider adoption of green gadgets. Acknowledging that it presented encouraging statistics both in terms of those already educated in how to use gadgets in an environmentally friendly way, and in how to draw on this knowledge when buying these products, the study’s compilers highlighted how – simultaneously – the ‘glass half empty side’ exposed ‘lots of apathy and ignorance when it comes to being green with gadgets but lots of opportunity to educate and motivate consumers.’

Retrevo (http://www.retrevo.com) is one of the largest consumer electronics review and shopping sites in the world, helping people decide what to buy, when to buy, and where to buy.

Green Gadgets Image kindly provided by and copyright of Retrevo

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Solar-Powered Gadgets