More than half of Americans think an organic label is just an excuse to charge higher prices even though more people are concerned about the environment, according to a new Harris Poll.


The March survey found that 59 percent of respondents thought the organic label was just a business strategy. Men were the most skeptical, with 63 percent agreeing with the statement versus 54 percent of women.


The poll also found that although 38 percent of people are worried about the state of the environment (up from 31 percent last year), only 3 out of 10 people are willing to pay more for green products. Americans were divided on how easy it was to be green, with 49 percent saying it was "difficult" and 47 percent saying it was "easy."


However, a recent HuffPost/YouGov poll found that while environmental support may be higher than last year, it's still far lower than in 1971 when 63 percent of people said green issues were "very important."


Earlier this month researchers also found that consumers were convinced organic foods were healthier, tasted better and were of greater value than their non-organic counterparts. Researchers at Stanford found little nutritional difference between the two in a separate study, but their research was quickly criticzied for reportedly spreading misinformation and using questionable methodology.


The Harris poll was conducted online from March 13 to 18 among 2,276 adults aged 18 and over.


Related on HuffPost:






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  • Coffee


    Coffee lovers may want to get that caffeine fix before the treasured drink becomes an extinct export. Starbucks raised the issue last year when the company's director of sustainability told <em>The Guardian</em> <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/16/starbucks-climate-change_n_1011222.html" target="_hplink">climate change is shortening the supply chain of Arabica coffee bean</a>.




  • Beer


    Famed for producing some of the world's best beer, <a href="http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080502/full/news.2008.799.html" target="_hplink">Germany could suffer from a drop in production due to climate change induced water shortages</a>. Barley and hops can only be grown with water and using cheaper alternatives like corn isn't possible in Germany because of strict regulations about what you can make beer with.




  • Peanut Butter


    Thanks to a failing peanut crop due to last summer's scorching hot weather, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/10/peanut-butter-price-jump_n_1003732.html" target="_hplink">there's a shortage of peanuts in supply</a>. If temperatures continue to rise, a jump in peanut butter prices is just the prelude to what's in store for the beloved American spread.




  • Italian Pasta


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  • Maple Syrup


    <a href="http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/goodbye-maple-syrup-climate-change-pushing-sugar-maple-out-of-northeast-us.html" target="_hplink">A warming climate could make maple syrup history.</a> Shorter cycles of below freezing weather mean sugar maples aren't producing enough sap, which is later boiled down to make maple syrup.




  • Honey


    <a href="http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/Hone/Hone-03-30-2012.pdf" target="_hplink">It's no secret that bee populations are dropping nationwide</a>. Wetter winters and rainy summers make it harder for bees to get out and about to collect, leaving them to starve or become malnourished and more prone to other diseases. This doesn't just mean a decline in honey. We rely on bees to pollinate crops. When bees disappear many food crops could also die off.




  • Wine


    <a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/best-served-chilled-top-french-wines-at-risk-from-climate-change-a-748139.html" target="_hplink">France is losing its enviable climate for grape growing</a> thanks to a shifting climate. Because a wine's taste is a result of the balance of sugar and acidity in the grapes it is made from, the right growing temperature is essential. Grapes grown in cold are unlikely to develop fruity flavors, giving an acidic taste. Warm weather produces too much sugar, leaving a "jammy" and heavy taste.




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