KNOXVILLE, Tenn.---Hispanics – America’s largest and fastest growing minority group – are also among the nation’s greenest groups, according to a new national survey released today.

“This is an enormous market for green products”

The survey, which polled 1,000 adults across the United States, found Hispanic respondents were significantly more likely than other groups to be searching for greener products, and also more likely to say they felt “very personally responsible” to change their daily habits to help the environment.

“Hispanics are generally very family-centric,” said Suzanne Shelton, whose firm, Shelton Group, conducted the survey. “Thus, they’re very concerned about protecting the planet for future generations. And they’re willing to put their money where their hearts are.”

The survey, an annual national survey looking at green consumer trends, found:

• 75 percent of Hispanics are looking for greener products, compared to 61 percent of Caucasians and 57 percent of African Americans.
• 25 percent said they felt “very personally responsible” to change their daily habits and purchases to positively impact the environment, compared to 13 percent of Caucasian respondents.
• 58 percent agree global warming is occurring and caused by human activity, compared to 45 percent of Caucasians.
• 65 percent had conversations with their kids on conservation or an environmental topic, compared to 49 percent of all respondents.

Hispanics are the largest and fastest-growing minority group in the United States, according to the Census Bureau. About 47 million Americans are Hispanic, or nearly one in six residents.

“This is an enormous market for green products,” Shelton said. “And it’s only going to continue to grow.”

The survey, one of four studies conducted annually by Shelton Group, also found that men are getting greener, too. This year, 66 percent of men said they were looking for greener products, compared to 58 percent last year.

Men still lag behind their female counterparts, however. Women were significantly more likely than men to say they were searching for greener products in six product categories: food and beverages, personal care products (shampoo, lotion, etc.), paper products, pet products, home-cleaning products, and laundry and dishwashing detergents.

Men, meanwhile, were significantly more likely than women to be searching for greener products in electronics and somewhat more likely to be searching for greener automobiles/vehicles.

“Clearly, there’s no longer a single, easy-to-stereotype, one-size-fits-all environmentalist,” Shelton said. “And that’s great news for the environment.”

The survey, called Eco Pulse®, yielded 1,000 complete responses, for a 3.1 percent margin of error.

About Shelton Group

Shelton Group, founded in 1991 by Suzanne Shelton, is an advertising agency located in Knoxville, Tennessee, focused exclusively on motivating mainstream consumers to make sustainable choices. The agency conducts four proprietary consumer opinion studies annually – Eco Pulse, Energy Pulse®, Utility Pulse and Green Living Pulse.

Learn more at www.sheltongroupinc.com