The environment has been exploited by companies in a number of ways to fulfil their objectives. So, it becomes the responsibility of companies to compensate for this damage. Producing environment-friendly products and creating awareness among consumers are some of the ways through which companies can contribute towards conservation of nature. An attempt has been made in the present study to compare the attitudes of males and females as well as urban and rural consumers towards various dimensions of environment-friendly products viz., raw material, production, packaging, in-use features, after-use features and environment-friendly product. The study reveals that there does not exist any significant difference in attitudes of gender-wise people except after-use features of environment-friendly product. Urban people have more favorable attitude towards environment-friendly products than their rural counterparts. People residing in urban areas have also come up with favorable attitude towards raw material, packaging and after-use features of environment-friendly products.

Environment is essential for the growth and survival of all living beings. But unfortunately environment has fallen prey to mankind. Nature is being degraded by the activities undertaken by companies. Hence, it becomes the responsibility of the business world to compensate for the harm that the companies are causing to environment. The companies are employing a number of ways to preserve the natural environment. This ethical step helps the companies to become more disciplined about their environmental performance and contribute towards nature's conservation. Environmentally responsible companies make themselves more attractive to customers and investors.

Fuller (1999) observed that the challenge is to reinvent the ways and means of delivering desired customer benefits and meeting organizational goals while leaving no discernible environmental footprints on the planet. The companies are addressing this issue and playing their part in preserving the nature. Producing environment-friendly products is indeed one of the ways to conserve the environment.

Environmental product issues are complex; it includes the environmental impact of the entire life cycle of the product. Any product that is made, used or disposed of in a manner that significantly reduces the harm that it would otherwise cause to the environment, can be considered as environment-friendly product. Companies make specific changes in the product development, manufacturing, promotion and distribution so that the products do not harm the environment.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India had launched eco-labeling scheme known as `Ecomark' for easy identification of environment-friendly product in 1991. The criteria follow a cradle to grave approach, i.e., from raw material extraction, to manufacturing and final disposal. The basic criteria not only cover the broad environmental aspects but also the aspects that are specific at product level. According to the ministry a product is examined in terms of following main environmental impacts:

Marketing Management Journal, Consumer Attitude, Organizational Goals, Environmental Products, Product Development, Socioeconomic Variables, Environment Problems, Manufacturing Process, Raw Materials, Environment-Friendly Products.