• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, April 12, 2011

More than two-thirds of U.S. adults (68%) say it's worth paying more for a green product or service that is from a brand that they trust, according to a new survey conducted by Green Is Universal, NBCUniversal's ongoing program to raise environmental awareness and contribute to positive change.

The new online survey, conducted Feb. 25 to March 8 among 1,647 adults in the NBCUniversal consumer panel, with data weighted to reflect the total U.S. adult population, is a follow-up to one conducted in 2009.

The 68% indicating a willingness to pay more for green products/ services from trusted brands is up eight points versus the response to the same question in 2009.

The survey also found 77% of adults saying they "have a more favorable impression of companies that promote environmental causes," and 90% saying that companies have a social responsibility to protect the environment.

Other findings:

• 27% say that they have boycotted a product during the past year because a company had policies and practices that were not environmentally responsible (up eight points from 2009).

• 78% say that buying green "is a way to shop with [their] values and ethics" (up nine points versus 2009).

• 93% say they feel a personal responsibility to take care of the earth, and 91% believe that if they don't do so, there will be negative consequences for future generations.

In addition, a separate survey conducted March 9 to 14 focused specifically on reuse/recycling (844 adult panelists, data also weighted to be representative of U.S. adults).

That survey found 62% saying that they are making a conscious effort to purchase products made by environmentally responsible companies.

Furthermore, 68% said they are paying more attention to whether products are made from recycled materials; 84% said they appreciate companies that make it easier for them to recycle; 78% said they appreciate use of recycled materials because it gives them an easy way to help the environment; and 57% said they are likely to encourage others to buy products made from recycled materials.