(BPT) - Recent studies have shown that a record number of Americans understand that climate change is real and their increasing concern for the future of our planet is driving major corporations across the country to go green by setting and fulfilling lofty sustainability goals.
According to a recent survey from global renewable energy company Enel Green Power, over half of Americans assume sustainable products are more expensive. However, operating sustainably goes beyond the brands that are making headlines with buzzworthy products, as other household names are making large commitments that are reducing consumers’ carbon footprint behind the scenes.
The survey also found that two in three Americans would engage in sustainable lifestyle choices by making a purchase from a sustainable brand or a company that donates to an environmental cause. In fact, about half of Americans say they would pay more for a sustainable product, and of those people, half would pay 3% to 5% more. This commitment to making environmentally friendly purchase decisions continues to push companies to invest in climate solutions.
“All businesses, from world-leading big brands to small manufacturers, can play a role in operating sustainably and consumers have a say through their purchasing decisions,” said Georgios Papadimitriou, Head of Enel Green Power North America. “We are proud to work with companies that make the conscious decision to better our planet by greening their business and encourage consumers to use their purchasing power to continue this momentum.”
For example, last year, Budweiser announced its commitment to brew its beer with 100% renewable electricity. The amount of renewable electricity that the company uses is enough to produce more than 20 billion 12 oz. servings of beer annually.
Kohler aims to reduce its carbon footprint by 3% year over year to be net zero by 2035 and the company uses wind energy to supply 100% of the power needed to operate Kohler’s U.S. and Canadian manufacturing operations. The power generated is enough to power nearly 40,000 homes, and globally, the project will reduce Kohler’s greenhouse gas emissions footprint by 26%.
And telecommunications company T-Mobile turned magenta green last year, announcing its transition to 100% renewable electricity by 2021. T-Mobile is well on its way to achieving this aggressive goal and takes environmental stewardship one step further by engaging its community in conservation and reforestation efforts with its #TreeMobile campaign to plant up to half a million trees for Earth Day in partnership with The Nature Conservancy.
Adopting a sustainable lifestyle in tactical ways like driving an electric vehicle or installing solar panels on your roof has clear benefits for the environment. However, energy consumption goes far beyond turning your lights on and getting behind the wheel. The products we use in our daily lives require immense amounts of energy and materials for production, making our responsible purchasing decisions more influential than ever. Businesses are in a unique position to lead the charge against climate change. Americans’ demand for a more sustainable future will continue to influence companies’ sustainability commitments.
