A new dimension of sustainable fathering is emerging among Americans.

According to a consumer trend report by EcoFocus Worldwide, Make Way for EcoAware Dads, 65 percent of the nation’s 36 million dads agree that, “When my kids are grown, I want them to remember me as teaching them to be environmentally responsible.”

Eco-aware dads want their family’s home and lifestyle to be safe, efficient and responsible, and they see room for improvement: Only 16 percent are very satisfied with how green or eco-friendly their lifestyles are today.

“For an eco-aware dad, this is all very integrated and very personal to his role as a father,” explains Lisa Harrison, the research leader for EcoFocus. “For example, while he may have insulated his family’s home for economic reasons first, the secondary benefit is in quality of life, because the home becomes a quieter and more comfortable living space.” More than eight in 10 agree that being eco-friendly is a way to improve quality of life for themselves and their families.

Eco-aware dads realize that changes sometimes take big investments of both time and money, and they are concerned about affordability. Still, they see prospects for big payoffs; 83 percent have already changed the way they do things to make choices that are better for the environment.