Energy saving key to consumers' green actions

The economic downturn could soon force companies selling green products and service to shift their marketing focus from highlighting environmental benefits to touting the energy and cost savings they can deliver.

According to a major new survey of over 2,000 British adults the looming recession looks set to undermine some environmental commitments, while simultaneously encouraging mroe people to curb energy and transport use.

The survey from green advisory website and search engine, Click4Carbon.com, which makes a contribution to offsetting schemes for every search users carry out, found that only 13 per cent of consuemers were happy to pay directly to offset their carbon emissions, while a fifth had still not undertaken even simple measures to cut their environmental impact such as using energy efficient lightbulbs.

However, it also found that rising energy and fuel prices meant that 79 per cent of respondents had proactively looked to reduce their energy consumption in the past year, while 60 per cent plan to use their heating less this winter.

Highlighting the cost factors now commonly driving carbon emission reduction measures the survey also found that while 38 per cent of respondents claimed to be using their cars less than they were a year ago for economic reasons, only 22 per cent claimed their reduction in car use had been motivated by environmental reasons.

Claire Russell, co-founder of Click4Carbon.com, said that green businesses may have to adapt their messaging to appeal to an audience that appears " increasingly reluctant to spend money to become greener."

"There has to be a balance as there are still plenty of green consumers out there, but there also needs to be a greater focus on the cost savings that can be delivered from energy saving and the low and no cost green actions consumers can take," she said.