Walmart’s Sustainable Products Index

Last week Walmart announced its efforts assign green ratings to all goods that will measure how environmentally sound they are. This announcement was met with both skepticism (the strength of the system) and enthusiasm by media and the public alike. However, in hard times, it seems like most consumers are continuing to make sustainable choices when purchasing products.

We found more than a few well-respected research and media organizations with research that supports the trend. According to the Shelton Group’s recent 2009 Eco Pulse study, “60% of American consumers say they're seeking out green products, and 66% say they haven't curtailed their green spending in this economy.” Greenbiz.com says that green consumer spending even in a weak economy is booming, “…75 percent [of consumers]consider environmental and social aspects in deciding what to buy and about a third are willing to pay more for those benefits .”

Even credit card companies like Brighter Planet, a scrappy Vermont-based startup concentrating on carbon offsets, are taking advantage of the trend in green spending to ensure that sustainability gets a chance at the register. If you’re considering a greener credit card, but want more information, Green America has an article on whether or not credit card sustainability claims can really hold up (they seem to doubt it) due to connections with non-green “mega-banks” and political persuasions.

Progress has been made. Five years ago, consumers didn’t have the purchasing awareness that exists today and banks didn’t yet see that green is green. The well-known American humorist, Oliver Wendall Holmes said it best, “The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.”