Generation Green: The truth about age and green-tech adoption may shock you

I KNOW what they say about assuming things. But, yes, I've been walking around under the impression that green tech adoption was probably higher among 30-somethings or 40-somethings like me. No particular reason for this. I just was using my both my own parents and in-laws as benchmarks because, frankly, neither pair is all that willing to spend something for a green purpose nor do they particularly subscribe to the global warming theory. Talk about saving money, though, and you'll get their attention.

Anyway, the latest green tech EcoPinion survey from EcoAlign , however, proves (again) why assumptions should be reserved for testing scientific or mathematical theories. And why my particular elders may be outside the norm.

Here's why.

The company's latest survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers found that respondents who were 55 years of age or older were more likely to have purchased some sort of green tech than other members of the survey population. Rates were also higher in higher income households with more than one occupant. Overall, 46 percent of the respondents admitted to buying green tech. If you're marketing some sort of green tech, have you been focusing on the right demographic?

Self-proclaimed green tech adopters were more likely to think of green tech as "reliable," "convenient" and "easy to understand" than the non-adopters. But there were also more likely to think of this stuff as "expensive." A more positive sign overall is that more than half of all survey respondents said they believe green tech was reliable, which suggests a growing willingness to adopt.

Perhaps the most revealing part of the survey explores one of the least-discussed questions you might ask yourself when considering green technology: When you think about installing solar panels or wind turbines or other green tech, do you worry about what your neighbors think? Or, to flip it around, if your neighbor installed green tech, how concerned would you be?

The more visible the green tech footprint, the more concerned your neighbor might be, which makes sense. Who wants to stare at some huge solar panel array? But the survey respondents were actually most concerned about the aesthetic impact of home insulation and more efficient lighting. Random note to self: If I ever get to the point of installing a wind turbine in the back yard, talk to neighbors first. Actually, that one won't even get past my husband. Heck, it would be interesting to see if my town would even permit me to go forward with such a plan.

If you're curious about other green tech adoption stats, you can read my coverage of an earlier edition of EcoPinion.