Energy Aware

During a UBC lecture, I had the opportunity to hear the owner of Energy Aware; Janice Cheam, talk about her entrepreneurial efforts to create her company and what her company provides. The company is focussed on making and selling “Power Tabs” so that consumers can see how much energy they are using and how much it’s costing them.  This promotes less usage because you can actually see the energy consumption and price go down when you turn off appliances.  The fact that energy companies are buying this product, which will reduce profits but stabilize the current problem of demand surplus, made me think about the recent focus on environmentally friendly options.  We have a much broader knowledge than ever before of what will happen to the planet if we continue to use unsustainable methods for energy.  It is important to consumers and companies have begun to pick up on that.  It is now being used as a differentiation factor for companies products.  The brand Scott, for example, is using 60% recycled materials for its paper products.  This creates a differentiation from other companies and encourages consumers to buy the green product.  Advertising is starting to favour environmentally friendly aspects of products.