A new study from ad agency OgilvyEarth has found that “Green Rejecters,” who rebel against everything from reusable shopping bags to hybrid cars, are more likely to be male than female, and consider going green an expensive indulgence for “crunchy granola hippies or rich elite snobs.”

Over 80% of respondents to the study said that green is more feminine than masculine. “Sustainability could use its Marlboro Man moment,” the agency said. The study also found that, while 82% of respondents wanted to “go green” in some way, only about 16% followed up, and that guilt about not taking care of the environment drove them to, well, not take care of the environment.

“Green is a major mood kill,” said the study. “People told us they feel guilty about everything from their flat screen TV to their Sunday paper to their Christmas tree,” said OgilvyEarth. “Flooded with guilt, they want to retreat to the comfort of ignorance.”

The report proposes says that businesses that want to get their customers to go green need to “ditch the crunch factor” and focus on fun: “Rather than making sustainability choices seem like a righteous thing to do, wise brands are tapping into enjoyment over altruism and seeking to hit the consumer’s ‘G-spot.'”

Real men don’t tote reusable shopping bags [Consumer Reports News]

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