How Many Eco-Conscious Consumers Are There, Really? Strangely, It Matters Far Less Than We Tend To Think

When employees get free parking, they tend to drive their cars to work; when they have to pay to park, they tend to take public transportation.  That’s the (not too shocking) conclusion of a new study, according to this article published by my friends at Smart Cities.

Even though it may not be surprising, it’s noteworthy because it serves as a reminder that most people’s actions spring from the immediate impact those actions have on their own lives. It brings to mind what I learned at a fabulous conference on sustainability called “Climate One” a few years ago (see my notes linked above): In surveys, 75% say that we would pay a bit more for an eco-friendly product, but in practice, only 1% – 3% actually do.

Perhaps this is a bit of disheartening news about our fellows, but keep in mind the premise for my new book (Bullish on Renewable Energy – Eleven Reasons Why Clean Energy Investors Can’t Lose), i.e., while it would be nice to have a real raising of consumer consciousness, and a grass roots campaign around the migration away from fossil fuels, in truth, it’s not necessary; we can (and probably will) get there on the strength of market economics alone.