Study: Consumers Want to Reduce Carbon Footprint Despite Economic Woes

October 22nd, 2008

Not surprisingly, the economic downturn has not diverted consumers from their environmental concerns. Check out Carbon, a new report by Forum for the Future, a UK sustainability organization, tells us that consumers would like to make good decisions that benefit the environment and have reliable and trustworthy information to support solid decision making.

Check out Carbon summarizes the findings of a research project exploring the role carbon labeling plays in increasing consumer awareness. A survey of 1,000 consumers reinforces that concern, with 85 percent of respondents saying they want more information about the environmental impacts of products.

The report, which was launched at the London headquarters of Lloyd’s Register during an event that attracted some of the UK’s top sustainability and climate change experts, also highlights the importance of educating consumers about opportunities to reduce carbon emissions that result from their purchases. Carbon labeling is a vitally important tool to help consumers reduce their carbon footprint when making shopping decisions.

Carbon labeling, of course, would require consumer product businesses and their suppliers to conduct extensive monitoring and management of water, waste and air emissions (including GHGs).

Jurisdictions need to carefully review these efforts, to make sure labeling regulations don’t become too demanding for business. The best way to deal with the source of major carbon impacts is at the manufacturing level. Rushing headlong into a major labeling effort could sideline a concept that has promise. Hopefully, government decision makers will find the best way to balance these concerns.

Tags: carbon emissions carbon footprint carbon labeling check out carbon forum for the future ghg sustainability uk

Entry Filed under: Sustainability, Greenhouse Gas Emissions