Contact Information: CONTACT: Briana Papa Crenshaw Communications 646-484-4573 briana@crenshawcomm.com www.crenshawcomm.com Linda Gabor RBRC 678-419-9990 Ext. 216 lgabor@rbrc.com
Survey Shows "Green Guilt" Is Down Sharply
Are Consumers Doing More for the Environment or Has the Economy Taken Priority Over "Green"?
| Source: Call2Recycle
ATLANTA, GA--(Marketwire - April 21, 2009) - According to an Opinion Research Corporation
survey conducted for Call2Recycle®, 50 percent fewer
Americans admit to suffering from "green guilt" than
last year, with just one in ten consumers experiencing guilt over their
environmental behavior. Green guilt is the feeling consumers have when they
aren't doing everything they know that they can and should be doing to
protect the environment. Are Americans increasingly realizing -- and
assuming -- their responsibility to do their part for the environment? Or
rather has the slumping economy affected Americans' motivation to be green,
with financial concerns eclipsing environmental issues?
For the past three years, Call2Recycle has been tracking
Americans' level of green guilt. This year's substantial decline in guilt
could potentially be attributed to increased action on the part of
consumers, whether it's buying green products, conserving electricity or
recycling. But on the other hand, it could arise out of environmental
apathy brought about by financial concerns. In a slumping economy, people
are overwhelmingly motivated by cost-savings; as a result, the environment
slips in importance and green guilt doesn't even register on their radar.
"It's encouraging to see that consumers are feeling less guilt over their
environmental actions, and based on the results of this survey, we'd like
to believe that it is because people are doing more for the environment,
"said Carl Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Rechargeable Battery Recycling
Corporation. "We found that the majority of Americans look for
products with green features or benefits and are willing to pay more for
them, recognizing that green choices can also have a lasting economic
benefit."
Americans' shift in attitude could suggest that preserving the environment
and adopting environmentally friendly behaviors isn't simply a fad or
trend. When asked about motivations for purchasing green products, less
than 30 percent of respondents indicated that they do so because of peer
pressure. Rather, the majority of Americans recognize the economic benefits
of environmentally friendly behavior, with nearly eight out of ten
indicating that they buy green because they see a long-term cost-savings.
In fact, more than half of respondents indicate a willingness to pay a
premium for eco-friendly products (57 percent) or services from
eco-conscious companies (55 percent).
There are many things that consumers can to do save money that are also
beneficial to the environment. For example, the survey found that in the
next six months, four out of five respondents (84 percent) are likely to
recycle household materials like glass, plastic and newspapers, while 74
percent will buy compact florescent light bulbs (CFLs). One simple -- and
free -- way consumers can protect the environment is by recycling household
items like newspapers, aluminum cans, glass, plastics, rechargeable
batteries and electronics. The overwhelming majority of respondents (92
percent) currently recycle at least one item. Rechargeable battery
recycling efforts are on the rise, up five percentage points over last
year, with 42 percent of Americans recycling used rechargeable batteries,
while 43 percent indicate that they recycle old cell phones.
"We're pleased to see rechargeable battery recycling rates increasing again
this year and we hope that more consumers will join these efforts and take
advantage of the Call2Recycle® collection infrastructure," continued
Smith. Recycling rechargeable batteries is free and easy with the
nationwide Call2Recycle program, administered by RBRC. Call2Recycle is the
nation's most comprehensive rechargeable battery and cell phone recycling
solution, providing a free and convenient way to recycle old cell phones
and used rechargeable batteries found in cordless electronic products, such
as laptop computers, digital cameras, cordless power tools, two-way radios,
mp3 players and camcorders. For more information and to find local
drop-off locations, visit www.call2recycle.org or call toll-free
877-2-RECYCLE.
The full survey results are available upon request.
About Call2Recycle®
Call2Recycle is the industry's first and only product stewardship program
for rechargeable batteries. The nonprofit program is administered by the
Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC), a public service
organization dedicated to rechargeable battery recycling. There are more
than 30,000 Call2Recycle drop-off locations throughout the United States
and Canada. More than 350 manufacturers and marketers of portable
rechargeable batteries and products show their commitment to conserve
natural resources and prevent rechargeable batteries from entering the
solid waste stream by funding the Call2Recycle program. In pursuit of its
mission, Call2Recycle also collects old cell phones, which are either
recycled or refurbished and resold when possible with a portion of the
proceeds benefiting select charities. For more information, call
877-2-RECYCLE or visit www.call2recycle.org.
About the Survey
Findings cited in this release are from a national random digit dial (RDD)
telephone survey of 1,002 adults (18+) in the contiguous United States. All
interviews were conducted from April 2-5, 2009. Findings for the total
sample are projectable to the American adult population within a +/-3
margin of error, on average, at the 95 percent confidence level. The survey
was conducted by Opinion Research Corporation on behalf of Crenshaw Communications.
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