2Sustain

Despite the sluggish economy and the rise in energy prices, Americans still want to “go green.”

New survey results from Harris Interactive show that more than three-fourths (77 percent) of those polled purchase green products or services. Among these, 57 percent said they bought green products because they believe they are better for the environment.

The survey, conducted in partnership with SCA Tissue USA, an 80 year old company that makes paper and hygienic products for office and restaurant use, suggests that sustainability is becoming more and more a part of everyday life –good news for companies that manufacture environmentally-friendly products or are considering adding them to their product lines.

The study also revealed that: (more…)

Will sustainability become a major driver of consumer purchasing behavior?

Many leading corporations are betting that it will. But, new research from OgilvyEarth suggests that, at least for now, consumers just aren’t buying it.

The study, Mainstream Green: Moving sustainability from niche to normal, provides new insight on how to close what OgilvyEarth calls “the Green Gap,” a division that persists between what consumers say and what they actually do around sustainable living.

According to the study:

• The vast majority of Americans (82 percent) have good green intention. But, only 16 percent are dedicated to fulfilling these intentions. That leaves 66 percent in the category that OgilvyEarth calls the “Middle Green.”
• The Middle Green is difficult to motivate. Typically, most of the dialogue and marketing has focused on the extremes of consumer behavior – what the study refers to as the Super Greens or the Green Rejecters.
• Economics, guilt and perceptions all play roles in motivating green purchasing behavior. For example, the top barrier Americans claimed was holding them back from more sustainable behaviors was money. Guilt plays a role, too, and so does gender — 82 percent of survey respondents said going green is “more feminine than masculine.”
• Interestingly, when given a choice between purchasing an eco-friendly product from a known brand or a company that specializes in being green, 73 percent of those polled opted for the known, mainstream brand.

OgilvyEarth offers sound guidance for companies looking to normalize sustainable behaviors. In broad terms, the recommendations include: (more…)

New research from the Carbon Trust Standard offers insight into how a company’s green credentials can affect consumers’ purchasing behaviors.

In late February, the Carbon Trust Standard conducted an online survey of nearly 2,000 adults in the UK. Here are a few of the intriguing results:

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