As the recession deepens and as belts tighten and budgets are squeezed across all industries and demographics, how is green purchasing affected?  For those who worry if buying green is just another passing trend or fad to be tossed by the wayside in a down economy, the good news is that buying sustainably and responsibly is a habit that's here to stay.

What are consumers doing in response to this economic climate?

In a report by leading consumer behavior specialists The Hartman Group entitled Sustainability: The Rise of Consumer Responsibility, 3/4 of consumers consider environment and social aspects in making purchase decisions and one-third are willing to pay more for that benefit.  "During these tough economic times, sustainable products create that 'sweet spot' that make consumers more optimistic about the choices they are making," said Alison Worthington, Hartman Group Managing Director of Sustainability.  "In many ways, the term sustainability has become synonymous with responsibility for consumers or just 'doing the right thing'."

And according to the GfK Roper/Yale Survey on Environmental Issues, many Americans, including those enduring financial hardship, are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products.  Using 15% as the watermark (would you be willing to pay 15% more for an eco-friendly option?), 50% or more said yes to environmentally friendly clothes detergent and automobiles, 40% said they would spend 15% more on green computer printer paper, and 39% said they would do the same for "green" wood furniture.

What are corporations doing in response to this economic climate?

The Panel Intelligence's Quarterly Sustainability Tracking Study, conducted right before the election in November of 2008, discovered that 80% of corporate sustainability executives plan to maintain or increase levels of sustainability-related spending in 2009 despite the current economic conditions.   Some of the highlights from that study include:

• Sustainability and clean technology spending - as a percentage of corporate revenues - is expected to increase 73 percent through 2010.
• 82% of respondents rated energy efficiency as the most important area of current focus and investment.
• Corporate spending on sustainable waste management initiatives is expected to grow by 20% in 2009, the highest percentage increase of any subcategory.
• Cost savings, revenue generation and brand strength are the most important drivers of environmental and clean technology initiatives.
• Nearly 55% of respondents observe no financial criteria (i.e. ROI, payback period) when evaluating sustainability projects for their respective organizations.
• A majority of respondents believe capital remains available for sustainability projects.
  

Here at Indoff, we are continually striving to provide eco-friendly business products at better and more competitive pricing.   And the best news of all is that the more we buy sustainably, the more we signal to manufacturers that we want green alternatives and the more we drive pricing down on environmentally friendly products that reduce our ecological footprint.