Survey: Businesses May Not Have the Green to Go Green

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Although the majority of business owners say they are doing at least "everything that can be justified by cost" to help the environment, many say the economy has made them change their plans to "go green." According to the most recent Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index, surveyed January 22 - February 2, one-third of small business owners said the country's economic situation has affected their plans to become more environmentally friendly. Seventeen percent said their companies are doing "very little or nothing at all" to help the environment. A major factor may be the belief that customers are not willing to pay more for goods and services described as environmentally friendly, mentioned by nearly 70 percent of respondents (an increase of 37 percent from April 2007).

However, the recent survey did reveal that many business owners are actively involved in some "green" activities. Over the past 12 months, almost 90 percent of business owners surveyed participated in recycling, and more than three-quarters (77 percent) switched to more environmentally friendly products such as cleaning products, energy-saving light bulbs or recycled goods. Thirty-two percent said that over the past 12 months they used some type of alternative transportation such as walking, biking or public transportation, rather than a car, to save energy.

(Read the entire release at BusinessWire.)