July 30, 2008 - Despite the economic downturn, half of all American consumers - regardless of income level - say they would pay more for greener products such as concentrated laundry detergent and fuel-efficient cars.

The survey, conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs and the Yale School of Forestry, find that 51% of Americans would "definitely" or "probably" pay 15% more for eco-friendly clothes detergent (51%) or for an automobile (50%). Forty percent say they would spend 15% more on environmentally preferable computer printer paper, and 39% would do the same for sustainable-wood furniture.

Furthermore, Americans who characterize their current financial situation is "fair" or "poor" are just as willing to spend 15% more on some environmentally friendly products as those Americans better off, according to the survey.

"Many American consumers, even in the face of economic uncertainty, express a willingness to pay more for environmentally friendly products," says Anthony Leiserowitz, director of Yale Project on Climate Change. "Toyota can't make the Prius fast enough to meet consumer demand, to cite just one example."

Consumers also want more information about products' environmental impact, the survey suggests. A majority of the respondents say that it is either "important" or "essential" to have eco-labels that describe the environmental impacts caused by product manufacture (73%), use (73%), and disposal (79%).

A recent survey found that, when faced with two similar items, 83% of consumers would choose the greener option.

For more information on the new Roper/Yale survey, click here.