Though the States Voted Blue, They'd Prefer to Be Green

Though the States Voted Blue, They’d Prefer to Be Green

Experian Marketing Services finds consumers in the states that went to Obama are more likely to think and act Green than those in McCain states

Schaumburg, Ill., Dec. 4, 2008 — Consumers living in blue states are significantly more likely to be eco-conscious in their attitudes and buying behaviors, according to a recent analysis by Experian Marketing Services, a part of global information company Experian.

The analysis, which compared the self-reported environmental behaviors of American households against the 2008 electoral map, found that 34.3 percent of consumers in those states whose votes went to Barack Obama were Greener in their day-to-day activities. This presents a significant contrast to the 29.9 percent of Green-minded consumers in the states that went to John McCain. The national average for consumers who think and act Green regularly is nearly 33 percent.

“Not only do we live in an increasingly Green-minded country, but it is important to note how those attitudes align with the other behaviors and preferences we have as consumers and Americans,” said Joe Paulsen, general manager of Consulting and Analytics for Experian Marketing Services. “Our data has shown a clear trend that those in blue states tend to be much more likely to think and act in ways that are more eco-friendly.”

Further breaking down specific areas of consumers’ Green behaviors, the analysis also found:

• Blue-state consumers are significantly less likely to be Brown (those who do not act or think Green and may even hold negative attitudes about environmental issues), at 12 percent — nearly 6.5 percent below the national average.  
• Consumers in red states are significantly more likely to be Brown in their attitudes, at 14.8 percent. That is 14.9 percent above the national average.
• Nearly 34 percent of consumers in red states were found to be potentially Green in their habits — those conscious of, though not fully decided on, Green issues — coming in at 6 percent above the national average.
• Hawaii has the highest percentage of households that are proactively Green in their behaviors, at 40.2 percent — nearly 22 percent above the national average.
• Utah has the highest percentage of Brown households, at 20.93 percent — a substantial 62 percent above the national average.

The analysis was based on Experian Marketing Services’ GreenAware^SM segmentation system, which compiles and segments consumer survey responses on their Green-related buying patterns, lifestyle, opinions, attitudes and media use into four distinct groups:

• Behavioral Greens — Representing more than 34 million households, members of this group think and act Green. They have negative attitudes toward products that pollute and incorporate Green practices in their routines regularly.
• Think Greens — Representing more than 24 million households, this group thinks Green but does not necessarily act Green.
• Potential Greens — Representing more than 36 million households, this group neither behaves nor thinks along particularly environmentally conscious lines and remains ambivalent about key environmental issues.
• True Browns — Representing more than 14 million households, this group is not environmentally conscious and may harbor negative attitudes about environmental issues.

About Experian
Experian® is a global leader in providing information, analytical and marketing services to organizations and consumers to help manage the risk and reward of commercial and financial decisions.

Combining its unique information tools and deep understanding of individuals, markets and economies, Experian partners with organizations around the world to establish and strengthen customer relationships and provide their businesses with competitive advantage.

For consumers, Experian delivers critical information that enables them to make financial and purchasing decisions with greater control and confidence. Clients include organizations from financial services, retail and catalog, telecommunications, utilities, media, insurance, automotive, leisure, e-commerce, manufacturing, property and government sectors.

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Contact:
Christopher Fielder
Experian Public Relations
1 224 698 8628 Telephone
christopher.fielder@experian.com Email