Earth-Friendly Buyers Willing to Spend More

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
February 20, 2004
Earth-friendly buyers willing to spend more

BY: ALMA E. HILL

Move over, Granolas. Make way for LOHASes, mainstream consumers who make purchases with a "lifestyle of health and sustainability" in mind.

You probably know them.

They put their money where their beliefs are, making purchases that are environmentally friendly and socially responsible.

Whether it's low-odor paint or unbleached sheets, these folks believe they can save the planet one purchase at a time, even if it means paying slightly more.

"We attribute it to people's growing consciousness about their Earth," says Alice Rolls, executive director of Georgia Organics, an organization that promotes organic and sustainable farming practices. "The things we buy can be a moral decision we make. It's not just about the price tag. It's about the impact of our purchases."

"This is akin to a decision to give to charity. You put money into something because you believe in it and it's the right thing to do," says Howard Frumkin, an Emory University physician and professor.

As a consumer, he turned two unfortunate events into opportunities to be good to the Earth.

When Frumkin's Saab was totaled in an accident two years ago, he replaced it with a Toyota Prius, a compact car with a hybrid gas-electric drive system that gets up to 44 miles per gallon.

Last December, when a fire destroyed 60 percent of the family's home, Frumkin and his wife decided to rebuild it the Earth Craft way, an environmentally friendly building standard.

The house will have good insulation; high-efficiency windows, heating and air conditioning; compact fluorescent lighting; and leakproof ducts.

The energy-efficient measures will raise the cost of the rebuilding by only 5 percent.

"The cost is an important question, but it's not the driving issue for us," says Frumkin. "We think the moral thing to do as citizens of the globe is to try to use fewer resources and protect the environment."

Organic groceries cost about 20 percent to 30 percent more than nonorganic items, but frequent shoppers say their health is worth it.

"Things like this mad cow crisis have fueled even more concern on the part of consumers to watch what they're eating and to seek out organic products," says Ronnie Cummins, executive director of the Organic Consumers Association.

Nationwide, organic food sales reached $13.5 billion in 2003, according to the trade group.

Organic and "green" items have been on the market for years, but the selection was largely confined to health food stores and alternative-lifestyle catalogs that appealed to hippies and anti-establishment types.

Not anymore. The green movement has broadened to include folks from all walks of life.

"You can't stereotype these people. It's not the granola-and-knapsack crowd," says Dennis Creech, executive director of the Southface Energy Institute, a local nonprofit that promotes sustainable homes, workplaces and communities. "It's value-based. These are people who are against waste, they're against pollution, and they want to do their part."

People can help the Earth even in death.

Some states have "green" cemeteries that allow a body wrapped in cloth to decompose in the ground naturally, without formaldehyde, airtight caskets or steel vaults.

"It's 100 percent supply and demand," Creech says of the many ways consumers can make environmentally correct purchases.

"The manufacturers who make eco-friendly products couldn't do it if people weren't buying them, whether it's carpet, paint, furniture, lighting products or insulation materials."

Jane Bradshaw, 27, is one of the loyal converts.

A few years ago, the Georgia State University law student seldom bought organically grown food because of its cost. Now, with prices more competitive, she's a frequent shopper.

"I spend more than I would if I went to Publix or Kroger," says Bradshaw, "but my money is making more of a difference."

Bradshaw also buys products with as little packaging as possible so she won't contribute to the waste in landfills.

She washes her clothes in cold water and air dries them in the laundry room to conserve energy. She also shops at thrift stores.

"It's a form of recycling," Bradshaw says.

Dunwoody salesman Tom Mastroine purchases only organic food and personal-care items.

He shops exclusively at Whole Foods, an upscale market that is part health food store, part grocery chain. A bachelor, he spends about $500 a month at the store.

"It's worth it to me," says Mastroine, 48. "I don't do it so much for the humanitarian aspect. I do it more for the health aspect."

Despite the widespread emergence of Earth-friendly goods and services, Roper's annual "Green Gauge Report," a survey of consumer attitudes about environmental issues, found in 2003 that environmental causes ranked 12th and 13th out of a possible 14 concerns.

Americans no longer have the luxury to worry about many social issues, according to Roper researcher Jennifer James, because of recent, more troubling events like the war in Iraq, rising unemployment and terrorist alerts.

However, some metro Atlantans are bucking the national trend.

Creech estimates that up to 2,000 Earth Craft homes will be sold by the end of 2004, compared with three years ago when sales amounted to zero.

Buying green doesn't mean sacrificing quality and comfort.

Or speed, according to Frumkin, who takes issue with anyone who says hybrid cars are slow on the road.

"I found out the night our house burned down," he says, "that a Prius can go 85 miles an hour if you want it to."

ON THE WEB
 
* For energy-saving consumption and home-building tips: southface.org
 
* For advice on organic farming, gardening and food: georgiaorganics.org
 
* To determine how much of an ecological footprint your lifestyle makes on the Earth: earthday.net/footprint/info.asp

JEAN SHIFRIN / Staff; Graphic: How to determine what's really organic Experiencing label confusion about what is eco-friendly and what isn't? When purchasing food, look for U.S. Department of Agriculture certification. The USDA labels food organic if the product contains 95 percent certified organic ingredients. Products with less than 70 percent organic contents must be labeled as "containing organic ingredients." However, strict, uniform standards don't exist for cosmetics, personal-care products and sustainable-agriculture products, such as trees. That's why the Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports, launched an eco-label Web site in 2001 to help consumers distinguish between credible labels and marketing hype. "By far the most egregious labeling we see is in the personal-care product industry," says Urvashi Rangan, director of the eco-labels project. "Our research has shown that many of them simply lack definition. The claims do not have to be verified." For example, many cosmetics companies state "no animal testing" on product labels. The claim is misleading because the company might have commissioned a laboratory to conduct animal tests, even though its own company did not test the finished product on animals. The Web site eco-labels.org demystifies vague statements by analyzing 113 labels ranging from food and wood to personal care and cleaning products. The site is updated frequently; about 75 labels will be added this month. Consumers can do their due diligence before making a purchase by reading the contents and contacting the manufacturer to clarify uncertainty. Or take independent evaluations from eco-labels.org with you when you shop.
--- Alma E. Hill