WHERE THE U.S. IS GREEN

How America is Going Green; Purchases of green products on Amazon “map” right onto the regional stereotypes you might expect – with a few surprises.
April 18, 2011 (Amazon Green)

"…[H]ard data on…cross-category purchases of green products from the nation’s largest online retailer…[make it possible for Amazon to provide s] that larger picture of how America is going green…[B]y measuring the purchases over the last year of various segments of green products (Water Conservation, Energy Savings, Garden-To-Table, etc.) across geographical coordinates and labeling each zone as “hot” or “cold” based on its deviation from the national average…a broad sense of the growing trend of green buying in this country [emerged]…

"…[B]ased on Watersense products, books on Water Conservation, and Rain Barrels. New Mexico and Arizona are the top states for water conservation purchases, with Montana coming in a close third…"

click to enlarge

"To find leaders in Energy Savings, we looked at renewable energy products (wind generators and solar panels), power conservation and energy management products, and green electronics (ENERGY STAR, EPEAT certified, and LED bulbs). Florida, Nevada, and California are the top three states…Daytona Beach, FL residents take advantage of their sunny climate, with the most purchases of solar panels. But Lacrosse, WI is keen on learning more about energy savings: they top the nation in books on Energy Efficiency.

"Next we looked at the Garden-to-Table…Amazon’s Home & Garden team has seen increased demand for organic seeds and fertilizer, composting products, and indoor germination products across the board. Grand Junction, CO buys over three times the national average of composting products, and Eureka, CA is the place for green thumbs…The Midwest has a bit of growing to do…"

click to enlarge

"…[I]n Green Parenting – purchases of Green Baby and Toys products – Vermont, Massachusetts and Washington represent the top states…Based on purchases of environmental books, Vermont, Montana, and Washington, DC residents top our list of Most Well-Read Environmentalists. On a local level, Missoula, Montana residents just might be way more environmentally knowledgeable than the rest of us, with well over five times the national average of environmental book purchases.

"On a national level, it’s really no surprise that California, New Hampshire, and Vermont residents purchase the greenest products [across categories]…[but region by region], each in its own way, America is gradually getting greener…"