Americans Believe Global Warming Exists and Vote Their Dollars on Green Brands

2009 National Green Buying Research commissioned by Green Seal Inc. and
EnviroMedia Social Marketing, conducted by Opinion Research Corporation

WASHINGTON, March 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Green Seal Inc. and
EnviroMedia Social Marketing, with over 32 years experience in the
environmental field, presented research today at the National Press Club on
global warming and green buying.

Presenting the research were sustainability leaders Dr. Arthur Weissman,
President/CEO, Green Seal Inc., Kevin Tuerff, Principal/President, EnviroMedia
Social Marketing and Linda Chipperfield, V.P., Marketing/Outreach of Green
Seal Inc.

Overall, just 3 percent of the public does not believe climate change exists.
52 percent of Americans believe climate change is caused by human activities.
Twenty-nine percent believe climate change is occurring naturally, and 15
percent say climate change needs to be scientifically proven. And more than
any other age group, 64 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds--an estimated audience
of 76 million people-- believe global warming is caused by human activities
revealing a clear generation gap.

82 percent of consumers (four out of five) say they are still buying green
productsand services today--which sometimes cost more--even in the midst of a
U.S. recession.

Half of the 1,000 people surveyed say they are buying just as many green
products now as before the economic downturn, while 19 percent say they are
buying more green products. Fourteen percent say they are buying fewer
environmentally green products.

2009 National Green Buying Research

Other key findings in the new research conducted by telephone in a
random-digit-dial sample:

Brand Reputation Matters More Than Ads

-- Twenty-one percent (21%) of consumers say a product's reputation is
the biggest factor they weigh when making purchasing decisions
followed
by word of mouth (19%) and brand loyalty (15%). Just 9 percent say
green
advertising is their primary influencer.

More "Green Claims" Education Needed

-- About one in three consumers say they don't know how to tell if
green product claims are true.
-- One in 10 consumers blindly trusts green product claims.
-- Consumers are verifying green claims by reading the packaging (24%)
and
turning to research (going online, reading studies; 17%).

What Consumers Say Versus Do

-- While 87 percent of people surveyed say they recycle, the
Environmental
Protection Agency reports just 33 percent of our waste is diverted
from
landfills.
-- The other things people do are look for minimally packaged goods,
(60%)
which is statistically tied with buying green cleaning products (58%).
Buying green personal-care products came in at 31%.

"This research suggests that consumers are buying green products second only
to participating in recycling," said Arthur Weissman, Ph.D., Green Seal's
President and CEO. "This increased consumer demand sends a signal to
manufacturers to produce products that are truly green."

"That should serve as a wake-up call to sellers and marketers of current and
future green products and to any company in general," said Kevin Tuerff,
cofounder and President of EnviroMedia. "There are 76 million consumers
(18-34) who reward companies providing services and products that are less
toxic, less packaged and less energy intensive."

Green Seal, an independent nonprofit product certification organization, and
EnviroMedia Social Marketing released the research at the first-ever
Greenwashing Forum in Portland, Oregon, February 6. The forum, hosted by the
University of Oregon, was inspired by the Greenwashing Index(sm)
(www.Greenwashingindex.com), which was launched in January 2008 by EnviroMedia
and the UO School of Journalism and Communication. Since the popular watchdog
Web site was founded, consumers in 138 countries have been posting and rating
ads to "out" greenwashers and showcase companies that employ sound
environmental marketing efforts.

The margin of error on the 2009 National Green Buying Survey is +/- 3.2
percent. Additional survey results are available by contacting Kelli Johnson
at EnviroMedia or Barbara Hodgson with Green Seal.

About Green Seal
Founded in 1989, Green Seal provides science-based environmental certification
standards that are credible, transparent, and essential in an increasingly
educated and competitive marketplace. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization,
Green Seal certified its first products in 1992 and has certified over 3,200
products and services from major companies such as 3M, Benjamin Moore, and
Andersen Windows, and the number of major product categories covered by
standards has increased to more than 40. For more information, visit
www.GreenSeal.org.

About EnviroMedia
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, and with an office in Portland, Oregon,
EnviroMedia Social Marketing has been delivering award-winning
behavior-changing campaigns that get measurable results since 1997. The agency
focuses exclusively on environmental and public health issues, and includes a
subsidiary company, Green Canary Sustainability Consulting. For more
information, visit EnviroMedia.com or GreenCanary.net.

SOURCE Green Seal Inc.

Barbara Hodgson, Green Seal, +1-310-915-7123 or +1-310-625-7394, or Charlotte
Peyraud, Green Seal, +1-612-384-3367; or Kelli Johnson, EnviroMedia,
+1-512-476-4368 or +1-512-773-7452