Make it easy for consumers to purchase green IT

Dear producers and retailers

Over the last 10 years Danes have reduced their energy consumption by a whole 10% by choosing A-labelled fridges, A-rated energy saving bulbs, A-rated circulator pumps, AutoPowerOff plug banks and many other energy saving products. However, these savings have been eaten up by the explosion in electricity consumption by consumer electronics. We acquire more and more equipment, and everything has to be switched on all the time.

In the IT industry, many of you are now beginning to offer green products to consumers. Everyone is talking about green IT, but many producers shelve the idea when green concepts do not translate directly into green purchasing. Energy efficient IT equipment is winning market share, but not at the same pace as the shift in attitudes by consumers – some of whom talk, but do not shop, green.

What should we think about consumers who say all the right things but who, for various reasons, don’t feel able to put their money where their mouth is? Some, I believe, would call them hypocrites. We don’t do that at the Trust.

The positive news is that consumers generally want to save energy and also consider the environment. That’s a really good start. Nonetheless, consumers have to consider a whole range of issues and make a great number of choices when they make a purchase. What’s green, what’s not, and does it also tally with what the producer says?

When things become a little too jumbled and complicated, it’s a fact that many will simply choose the first and the best.

How can we make more inroads into green purchasing?
Together, we need to make it as simple, safe and cheap to buy green IT as possible, so that consumers don’t end up shopping in any other way. When producers and retailers are planning the next month’s special offer, there’s only one easy answer: green products.

Consumers freely choose what they want to buy; but producers and retailers are the ones who decide which products will be displayed on the shelves, and where the focus should be.

With consumers already adopting a sensible attitude, we ought not to distract them or attempt to lure them in the wrong direction. No, our challenge and yours is exactly the opposite: We must help them translate their green attitudes into green purchasing.

You have enormous influence over consumers’ product choices. This is really what the billions spent on advertising and marketing is all about.