Survey uncovers what consumers really think about being green
According to a recent online survey by Whirlpool Corporation, the majority of consumers (68 percent) want to live “green” but only if it is convenient to their lifestyle. The study, conducted on its behalf by Harris Interactive®, found that while finances are top of mind and consumers are still on the hunt for a good bargain, many are unwilling to compromise; searching until they find the right product at the right price.
Overall, the survey demonstrates that consumers are becoming more and more savvy about how best to spend – and save – their hard-earned money. In fact, more than half of adults (59%) said they would rather spend more money now to save energy (and money) later when it came to home appliances. With that in mind, Whirlpool Corporation continues to lead the industry when it comes to efficiency, offering more than 300 ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances, more than any other manufacturer.
“As consumers begin to adopt a greener lifestyle, and the concept moves from trend to norm, we wanted to see if the collective mindset was shifting,” said Monica Teague, senior manager brand business teams, Whirlpool Corporation. “We also know that people are still watching their wallets. What we discovered is that consumers want the easiest path toward efficiency and cost-savings, and will not compromise until they find it.”
A previous online survey of 2,042 U.S. adults ages 18 and over conducted by Harris Interactive between December 29-31, 2008 and on behalf of Whirlpool Corporation found that there were several gaps – be they marital, gender or generational – in terms of high-efficiency awareness with regards to laundry-appliances(1). The 2008 survey found that the majority (84%) of consumers rate energy efficiency (as opposed to water or time) as the most important efficiency feature, however this year’s survey revealed that, at the same time, one-fifth of all adults are willing to sacrifice certain features or eco-efficiency to get a more affordable price.
Sixty-eight percent of adults said they do their best to be green to the extent that it fits into their lifestyles and their finances. Fortunately, Whirlpool Corporation offers some of the most water and energy efficient products on the market, in the kitchen and the laundry room and across all price points.
The survey also found that the majority of adults (68 percent) said they will search until they find the product they are looking for at the right price. Opinions varied by region with those from the South indicating that they will search until they find the product they are looking for at the right price (77%), while Midwesterners indicated that they will buy what is on sale (25%).
And, no surprise here, men and women had different opinions. More women (71 percent), as opposed to men (65 percent), are willing to search until they find the product they are looking for at the right price. Interestingly, 35-44 year-old men are more willing than women to sacrifice certain features and/or eco-efficiency to spend less (24% vs. 21% respectively).
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Whirlpool Corporation from November 20-24, 2009 among 2,089 adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
Source: Whirlpool Corporation
New law protects consumers against illegal billing practices
AARP urges families to review phone bills over the holidays
The holidays are a time of hustle and bustle – and now AARP is urging Illinoisans to add another critical item to their holiday to-do lists. As families come together for the holidays, AARP is urging people to review their phone bills, particularly bills of elderly friends, family, and neighbors, who may be paying too much — and needlessly — for phone services.
Many Illinois consumers have paid untold amounts of money for phone services or products they did not even order or authorize — a growing and illegal practice known as ‘cramming.’ However, a new Illinois law will help protect consumers against this illegal practice and will help to drive down costs for individuals in a tough economy.
“Access to affordable telephone service is critical for older adults, many of whom live alone and may not have access to other forms of communication,” said Bob Gallo, AARP Illinois Senior State Director. “That is why it is also critical that older adults, and all consumers, be protected against illegal practices that result in wrongfully inflated phone bills.”
The law fights cramming practices by requiring third party verification on charges placed on telephone bills. Third party charges may include charges for services such as three-way calling, voicemail, and caller ID. Parties that charge for services or products on a consumer’s bill must now confirm the consumer has requested the service, and must also record the phone call. Records will also be maintained by the service provider for at least two years.
“We are urging families to take a few minutes to review their phone bills this holiday season and make sure they are not a victim of this deceptive practice,” Gallo added.
If you feel that you have been charged unfairly for telephone services, please contact your telephone service provider. You may also contact the Illinois Attorney General’s Senior Citizens Consumer Fraud Hotline at 1-800-243-5377, or 1-800-964-3013 (TTY).
Source: AARP Illinois
Platts Survey: May OPEC oil output rose to 28.39 million barrels per day
Production rose by 300,000 barrels per day from April
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) increased crude oil production by 300,000 barrels per day (b/d) to 28.39 million b/d in May, according to a just-released Platts survey of OPEC members, oil industry officials and analysts. This is an increase from 28.09 million b/d in April.
Production had already risen in April for the first time since August 2008. According to the May production estimate OPEC-11 (those bound by production quotas) is at only 72% compliance with its 4.2 million b/d in crude output cuts agreed late last year. This is down from 78.7% compliance in April and 81.8% in March.
May production increases totaling 320,000 b/d from Angola, Iran, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Iraq were slightly offset by a 20,000 b/d decline in Venezuelan output.
“With the recent increases in crude oil prices, the drumbeat that we’re on our way back to $100-per-barrel-oil has been growing louder,” said John Kingston, Platts global director of oil. “But this month’s surge in output shows that OPEC has a lot of productive capacity that it can bring on the market relatively quickly, and that should certainly prove a hurdle to any move back to three-digit oil prices.”
Before April, OPEC production had fallen steadily in response to the plunge in oil demand caused by the global economic recession. OPEC-11 output failed to drop to this year’s 24.845 million b/d target. The latest estimates leave the OPEC-11 some 1.14 million b/d in excess of this target.
Although seven countries increased production in May, the bulk of overproduction occurred in Angola, Iran and Venezuela. Saudi Arabia, despite having boosted production by 110,000 b/d between March and May, was within its quota.
Initial output cuts by the OPEC-11 subject to the ceiling for 2009 were sizeable — 970,000 b/d between December 2008 and January 2009 and 820,000 b/d between January and February. OPEC is next scheduled to meet in September.
Crude futures prices have been on a broadly upward trend since mid-February, and according to some observers, this may have encouraged over-quota production. OPEC’s own basket of crudes, for example, stood at $38.14 per barrel on February 19. On June 11, the basket stood at $70.87 per barrel.
Source: Platts
Consumer Reports Poll: Thirty-One Percent of Americans Never Use Sunscreen
One in Five Adults Say They’ve Been Examined For Skin Cancer
Thirty-one percent of Americans polled by the Consumer Reports National Research Center said they never wear sunscreen. But consumers aren’t oblivious to the sun’s risks: 22 percent of those polled said they’d been examined by a doctor for something they thought might be skin cancer. The July issue of Consumer Reports rates ten top selling sunscreens to slather on, noting that there’s plenty of variation among the brands tested. Consumers should choose carefully. The report will be available online at www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org.
Forty-five percent of sunscreen users said they were “especially bothered” by getting sunscreen in their eyes, while 41 percent were bothered by sand sticking to their skin. Another issue was cost, which 40 percent of respondents cited as bothersome. About one-third of respondents were bothered by stains and smells that wouldn’t wash out and not being able to wash sunscreen off their hands. “But with Memorial Day on the horizon–and the official launch of summer–consumers should make sure they don’t forget sunscreen. There are plenty of options–creams, lotions, different scents–to suit every preference,” said Jamie Hirsh, associate editor, Consumer Reports. Forty-eight percent of sunscreen users who’d had a sunburn in the past two years said it happened during their first time out in the sun after months of little to no sun.
Other Survey Highlights
- While the likelihood of both men and women wearing sunscreen seems to increase the longer they plan to be in the sun, women are significantly more likely to be frequent sunscreen users. When planning to spend 2 to 4 hours in the sun, 48 percent of women versus 27 percent of men are likely to wear sunscreen.
- Twenty-seven percent of parents with kids under twelve years old say they never or only sometimes apply sunscreen on their kids when they’re outside for 2 to 4 hours. And 14 percent say they don’t even apply sunscreen on their kids when they’re outside for more than four hours.
- Only one-third of sunscreen users are brand-loyal when it comes to sunscreens. Thirty-three percent like a particular brand and tend to stick with it, while 62 percent say they use “whatever they have.”
- Twenty-two percent of respondents say they’ve been examined by a doctor for something they thought might be skin cancer. And 14 percent said they’d been told by a doctor they were at risk of skin cancer.
Best Sunscreens, Plus Tips for Sunscreen Use
Consumer Reports assessed each sunscreen’s ability to protect against ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B radiation. Many products now claim protection against both, though SPF accounts for ultraviolet B rays only. CR’s tests also measured the sunscreens’ protection after volunteers soaked in a tub for at least 40 minutes.
Consumer Reports found that most sunscreens protected well, identifying three Consumer Reports Best Buys: Walgreens Continuous Spray Sport SPF 50; Coppertone Water Babies SPF 50 (lotion); and Target Sport Continuous Spray SPF 30, whose brand name has since changed to Up & Up. Consumer Reports notes that spray sunscreens can be tricky to apply if it’s windy.
Consumer Reports recommends the following tips for sunscreen use:
- Consumers should pay attention to the expiration dates on their sunscreens. If their sunscreen lists no expiration date, they should write the purchase date on the bottle with a marker. Discard a sunscreen that’s more than two years old.
- Apply sunscreen at least 15 to 30 minutes before going outside to allow for absorption.
- Don’t rely on sunscreen alone to protect your skin. Wear tightly woven clothing and a broad-brimmed hat, limit sun time, and seek shade during the hottest hours of the day.
- Don’t make purchases based on brand alone. Past tests have shown that different formulas or SPFs within the same brand may not rate the same.
- Look to Consumer Reports’ sunscreen Ratings for excellent or very good choices. High-rated products from Consumer Reports’ 2007 tests that are still available include Blue Lizard Regular Australian SPF 30+, Mustella Bebe/Enfant High Protection SPF 50, Lancome Paris Soleil Ultra Expert Sun Care for Sensitive Skin SPF 50, and Fallene Cotz SPF 58. These sunscreens are more expensive on average than the current batch, which includes only drugstore-available brands.
Concerns About Ingredient Safety
Consumer Reports notes that nanoparticles, manufactured microscopic materials that might behave differently from regular-sized particles, are sometimes used in sunscreens. Scientific studies have raised concerns about the adverse potential effects of nanoscale ingredients in sunscreens and other products on human health.
In sunscreens, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, both mineral-based, are often used nano-sized, in part to make them look clearer on the skin. Manufacturers aren’t required to disclose the use of nanoparticles, but if a sunscreen ingredient label mentions either of those minerals, it could mean the presence of nanoparticles. More information about nanotechnology can be found at www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org.
Poll Methodology
The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted a telephone survey of a nationally representative probability sample of telephone households. A total of 1,000 interviews were completed among adults ages 18+ and interviewing took place April 9th to April 13th, 2009. The margin of error is +/-3 % points at a 95% confidence level.
Source: Consumer Reports
U.S. to Celebrate World Standards Day 2009 with a Focus on Standards for Environmental Stewardship
From reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving energy to supporting sustainable buildings and products, consumers worldwide are focused on protecting and preserving the environment. Technologies and strategies that support these initiatives often rely on coordination among manufacturers, standards development organizations, conformity assessment bodies, and consumers, both throughout the United States and around the world.
This year, the U.S. Celebration of World Standards Day – Standards for Environmental Stewardship – will spotlight the critical role of standards and conformity assessment programs in the development and implementation of these green initiatives. Leaders of business, industry, academia, and government will gather in Washington, DC on October 7, 2009, to join with consumer representatives and experts in science and technology for a celebration of the relationship between standards and the global environment.
The event will kick off with a reception and exhibition at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC. The evening’s festivities include presentation of the 2009 Ronald H. Brown Standards Leadership Award, which was named after the late U.S. Secretary of Commerce and honors an individual who has dedicated him/herself to the promotion of standardization as a key tool in the elimination of global trade barriers. The winners of the 2009 World Standards Day Paper Competition will also be announced and presented with their awards.
Since the initial celebration in 1970, World Standards Day is now recognized in nations around the globe. U.S. activities are organized annually by a planning committee consisting of representatives from across the standards and conformity assessment community. The event is co-chaired each year by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) will serve as the administrating organization in celebration of their 115th anniversary.
For more information or to register, please visit www.wsd-us.org. Advance registration is required.
Source: American National Standards Institute