“Americans aren’t going green to save the planet. Americans are looking for energy-efficient products that lower their utility bills, or natural cleaning products that won’t harm their children,” said Suzanne Shelton, president of Shelton Group, which conducted the study. “We’re a nation of Accidental Environmentalists.”
The survey found that the primary reason for buying greener personal-care products was “to limit my and my family’s exposure to toxins and chemicals” (21%), compared to 10% who want “to preserve natural resources for future generations.”
The primary reason to buy greener home improvement products was “to save money” (17%), compared to 10% who want “to save natural resources.”
“While die-hard environmentalists might be annoyed, this is actually good news,” Shelton said. “Even if folks are not trying to protect the environment, their ‘accidental’ actions are contributing to a healthier planet, so, in the end, everybody wins.”
In other good news for the environment, green purchasing hasn’t been hurt by the troubled economy. The survey found 48% said they were buying the same amount of green products, with 21% saying they were buying more green products.
Specifically, consumers who said they were searching for greener products said they were doing so primarily in the following three product categories – all of them considered “affordable”: home-cleaning products, laundry and dishwashing detergents, and paper products.
Respondents with children were significantly more likely to be looking for greener home improvement products than those with no children in the home; while those with no children were significantly more likely to be looking for greener food and beverage products.
“Parents want to protect their children from toxic chemicals, so it’s no surprise that they’re seeking greener home-improvement products,” Shelton said. “Fewer are seeking greener food and beverages because they’re swamped with busy schedules, and the easiest-to-prepare foods aren’t always the greenest.”
