We are entering an age where concern for health and the environment is driving consumers to affect change with their financial decisions. Green retailers and businesses are specially suited to serve the “Cultural Creative” consumer, a market comprising 50 million individuals, or 26% of the U.S. population, according to sociologist and author Paul H. Ray, Ph.D.

The Cultural Creatives are drawn to relationship-based marketing and are health conscious, ecologically minded and values driven in their purchasing and lifestyle decisions. Cultural Creative are further described by Ray as people who care deeply about the environment, relationships, peace and social justice issues, self-actualization, spirituality and self-expression. Cultural Creatives tend to be activists, volunteers and contributors to good causes more often than other Americans, but do not fully realize how great their numbers are. Once they realize the strength of their numbers, their impact on society and the economy promise to be enormous.