March 6th, 2009 
Tushar Mathur Customers are reluctant to spend more on higher-priced environmentally friendly items
- By Sandra M. Jones |Chicago Tribune reporter
- March 6, 2009
- The recession is throwing a wrench in the green living moment.
The number of Americans who say they “almost always” or “regularly” buy eco-friendly products has stalled at 36 percent, the same as last year, according to a survey from Mintel, a Chicago-based consumer research firm. That follows a leap in green shoppers to that 36 percent from 12 percent in 2007, the firm said.
Most adults are willing to pay “only a little extra” for green products, the survey found. When it comes to buying household cleaning products, for example, 52 percent of respondents said they are too expensive.
Mintel expects the green shopping movement to regain steam, predicting 19 percent growth in the next five years
- Still, the economic downturn hasn’t deterred companies from tapping into the green movement.
- Payless ShoeSource, the discount shoe store, plans to roll out its first line of green products in April and is touting it as an “affordable” alternative to pricey eco-friendly goods.
The green shoes, priced at less than $30, are made from organic cottons and linen, natural hemp and recycled soles. They will be packaged using recycled materials. Eco fashion expert Summer Rayne Oakes of the Discovery Network’s Planet Green network has signed on as consultant and spokeswoman.
- The collection, called Zoe & Zac, will include handbags, jewelry and socks. The first products will be made for women and girls. Payless is looking to add products for men and boys.
Payless plans to unveil the line at 500 of its 4,000 U.S. stores around Earth Day, which is April 22, said Mardi Larson, a spokesman for the Topeka, Kan.-based retailer. Another 500 Payless stores will carry a handful of the styles. The line also will be sold on Payless.com.
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This whole “green product” thing is a scam anyways. I think more and more folks are figuring it out. Personally, I would pay more for a product because it wasn’t green. Don’t have to do it yet but the time is coming.
Save money and the Earth and be clean at the same time! Get serious and add Bathroom Bidet Sprayers to all your bathrooms. I think Dr. Oz on Oprah said it best: “if you had pee or poop on your hand, you wouldn’t wipe it off with paper, would you? You’d wash it off”, with these you won’t even need toilet paper any more, just a towel to dry off! Don’t worry, you can still leave some out for guests and can even make it the soft stuff without felling guilty. It’s cheap and can be installed without a plumber; and runs off the same water line to your toilet. You’ll probably pay for it in a few months of toilet paper savings. And after using one of these you won’t know how you lasted all those years with wadded up handfuls of toilet paper. As for water use a drought is always a concern and must be dealt with prudently but please remember that in the big picture the industrial water users always far exceed the water use of household users and in the case of toilet paper manufacture it is huge. The pollution and significant power use from that manufacturing process also contributes to global warming so switching to a hand bidet sprayer and lowering your toilet paper use is very green in multiple ways.
Hello everyone,
I saw the article and comments about going green and being more environmentally friendly. I think it is great that so many people are waking up to the fact that the planet is in trouble and that we need to act now in order to help out. I think with global warming creeping up on us, I think it is very important that we become more aware of trying to lower our carbon emissions, and try and do right by the planet. I think we can all do our little bit extra to try and help! At home I always shut the computer down rather than putting it to sleep, and always turn off electrics rather than leave them on stand by. These tips may seem small, but if everyone pulled together then I think we could really make a difference to the world. Another hint I have is that I now use e-Cards rather than buying paper cards. Not only are you saving money if you choose a free site, but more importantly, you are helping the environment by saving paper, and therefore less trees need to be chopped down! I have done my research and finally found the best free Environmentally Friendly e-Card site. It is really easy to use, which is great if like me you are not very good with computers! I really like this particular site as there is just so much choice. I know e-Cards are not for everyone but think of the environment it really is a great way to help out and do your bit! Kind Regards, Nic.