According to a groundbreaking new study by the market information group TNS, American consumers are highly conflicted when it comes to day-to-day environmentalism. The Green Life study compared responses from 17 countries across 5 continents, of more than 13,000 consumers during a 2 month period. Respondents were surveyed about their level of concern for the environment, their willingness to seek out and pay a premium for green products, and their activism.

The results: Developed nations (the U.S., the U.K., France, Japan, Germany, Hong Kong, and Korea) were the least environmentally conscious, and developing nations (Mexico, Thailand, Brazil, and Malaysia) showed the highest concern for the environment and the greatest willingness to take action and seek out greener products.

Ninety-four percent of Thai and 83 percent of Brazilians were willing to pay more for green products, as compared to only 45 percent of British and 53 percent of Americans.

Eighty-four to 94 percent of developing nations believe that global warming is a threat, but only 49 to 64 percent of those in industrialized nations believe such a threat is real.

In order to understand the diverse attitudes in the U.S., TNS experts identified eight distinct segments among the 2,200 American respondents:

The survey uncovered a surprising paradox in the U.S. Although 76 percent of those questioned reported that they want to help others, and 69 percent aspire to providing better lives for their children, they have not connected these inclinations to the state of the environment. Only 26 percent of Americans seek out green products, and 44 percent are skeptical that global warming exists. But most puzzling of all, 90 percent also say that the environment influences their day-to-day purchasing decisions.

Eco-Centrics / 13%
High-income, high-education urbanites who actively do their part to protect and improve the environment.

Respectful Stewards / 10%
Urban Hispanics whose culture sees earth as the giver of life; they buy green and pay more for it.

Proud Traditionalists / 14%
Rural Midwesterners with a local focus; they’re skeptical about big company claims but run environmentally responsible homes with eco-friendly products.

Frugal Earth Mothers / 17%
Prudent, lower-income, rural mothers who practice ecology for money saving.
Skeptical Individualists / 13% Highly educated, high-income urban males on urban coasts; they’re skeptical about green initiatives, not community or spiritually focused, believe in global warming.

Eco-Chic / 14%
Young adults who see green as something hip; they’re impulse buyers, unwilling to repeatedly buy green.

Green Naives / 11%
Young, low-income singles, unconcerned about the environment.

Eco-Villains / 7%
Midwestern, middle-income men in small/midsized metro areas who don’t believe in global warming or environmentalism.