-By Stacy Straczynski

Although some recent consumer research indicates that you'll still need a crowbar to pry open the majority of shoppers' wallets, the ORC Guideline reports that many Americans are willing to part with their precious dollars to support eco-friendly initiatives.

The national survey, released last week, found that a product's "energy footprint" influences 77 percent [of] consumers' purchasing decisions, with 76 percent willing to pay more at the register for environmentally friendly products. The study polled 1,004 employed adults living in private households May 1-4 via the telephone.

Green appeal carries over to the workplace, where 74 percent of U.S. employees believe organizations should take action to lead eco-friendly initiatives. The majority of these green-minded workers (64 percent) would be willing to support their organization's green initiatives at the cost of a smaller paycheck.

"The study's findings seem to debunk a common perception that people will go green as long as it doesn't cost them," said Aaron Franklin, project director at ORC Guideline, which is part of the global firm Opinion Research Corp., in a statement. "In fact, in both the workplace and in the store, people seem to be willing to put their money where their values are."