Going Green in the HDTV Industry

The green movement, which involves making purchases and other decisions based upon the impact they have on the environment, has started to make an impact on the HDTV industry. In fact, it is becoming so important to consumers, that a panel of HDTV manufacturers and retailer was developed to discuss the issue further.

“We have customers coming in all the time asking us which display technology is the most green,” said Richard Gilkes, who is the executive director of the Home Theater Specialists of America. “I think this will have a huge effect on our industry.”

Despite Gilkes’s observations, the vice president of public affairs and communications and LG Electronics, John Taylor, doesn’t see the green movement as such as an important an issue. According to Taylor, only about 10% of those shopping for a flat panel television consider the television’s energy consumption as a top priority. Nonetheless, he concurs that the industry should start looking toward implementing greener practices. In fact, the company is actively searching for ways to be greener, from the production off the televisions to the end of the television’s life.

Still, most of the members of the panel of HDTV manufacturers and retailers seem to concur that consumers are primarily concerned with the quality of the television picture. Another factor that is of great importance is the design of the television, with women in particular looking for televisions with an interesting and attractive design for their homes.