Energy Star Is Not For The Environment

According to the last EcoPinion only 4% of Americans buy Energy Star products purely out of altruistic motivations to protect the environment. It looks like most Americans believe protecting the environment is a sweetener or kicker to the primary motivation of saving money. It smells like an indulgence to me: buying Energy Star products to atone for our environmental sins.

The implication is that messaging strategies focused on environmental impact are not and will not be effective in driving further behavioral changes. This doesn’t surprise me. Energy Star is a functional brand centered since its inception around economic benefits. Only in recent years messaging and frankly public awareness started to stress the relationship between energy savings and GHG emissions. In fact, also not surprising, younger respondents were significantly more likely (admittedly, from a small base) to say that “protecting the environment” is the important attribute. This is interesting, because it may show a higher level of understanding or conditioning on the part of younger respondents. Energy Star products don’t really “protect” the environment. But because of their efficiency, they are gentler, and the footprint is lessened.

As we point out in our recent 7th EcoPinion survey, the Energy Star brand is still strong but a number of challenges could affect its relevance and role in the coming years. The brand needs to plan for an increasingly crowded energy efficiency space and the expected raise of energy costs which could offset the economic benefits of Energy Star approved consumer electronics and appliances.

Maintaining the Energy Star strong is critical to ability the market and society have to improve energy efficiency levels. And given the current difficulties over climate change actions, it may be the only realistic and politically viable alternative to achieve large-scale emission reductions without alienating society and businesses.