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Environmental Research Digest – June 2012

Summary

Since the summer of 2009, the Harris Poll has been tracking Americans’ attitudes toward the environment as well as their engagement in various environmentally-friendly, or “green,” behaviors. The poll surveyed 2,451 US adults ages 18 and older online between March 12 and March 19, 2012.

Key Findings

• Thirty-one percent of 18- to 24-year-olds say they take environmental issues into consideration when making purchases.
• This number that has risen from 24 percent in 2010 and 22 percent in 2009.
• While concern and awareness around environmental issues has slipped since 2009, this hasn’t affected how consumers say environmental issues influence their purchasing behaviour.
• The exception is young adults, ages 18 to 24, who are actually more likely to consider the environment in their spending than before.
• In 2012, US adults are now less likely to do each of the following in their daily life:
  • reuse things they have instead of throwing them away or buying new items (65 percent in 2009 vs. 61 percent in 2012);
  • make an effort to use less water (60 percent in 2009 vs. 57 percent in 2010 and 2012);
  • buy food in bulk (33 percent in 2009 vs. 30 percent in 2012);
  • purchase all-natural products (18 percent in 2009 vs. 16 percent in 2012);
  • purchase organic products (17 percent in 2009 vs. 15 percent in 2010 and 2012).
• A quarter of US adults (26 percent) say that environmental issues are either “extremely” or “very” important to them when deciding which products or services to purchase.
• Americans also show a preference for products and services that are “green,” with 79 percent seeking out green products, slightly up from 78 percent in 2010 and 76 percent in 2009.
• Additionally, 31 percent of US adults say they are willing to pay extra for a “green product,” up from 28 percent in 2010.
• Thirty-two percent said the same in 2009.
• Again, 18- to 24-year-olds show the biggest change: 35 percent say they are willing to pay extra for a green product, an increase from 27 percent in 2010 and 25 percent in 2009.

Author(s)

Harris Interactive

Source

PDF report