Research done by Penn Schoen Berland and J. Walter Thompson.

Prior to the recession, 15% of consumers considered environmental attributes as a factor when they shopped. Today, that number is 16%, and once the recession bottoms out, as many as 22% of shoppers are expected to make green a priority before purchasing.

Interestingly, though price is the biggest factor affecting shopping decisions today, post-recession, quality is expected to carry the most sway in the marketplace. The lesson here? Producing high-quality green products and services offers the greatest opportunity for entrepreneurs who want to do well and do good at the same time.