So if you want to know how the environment is doing, just ask your wallet. Many Americans are spending at least some money each month on earth-friendly goods. At the same time, many Americans are also devoting some of their monthly budget on products that are either so-so or bad for the earth:
And, here’s the (maybe not so surprising) backdrop to this story – age matters (a lot!) in how you decide to save the earth. Younger adults (those who wave the environmental banner the loudest) are more likely to dedicate some of their money to organic food and downloaded (vs. print material); however, they are also more likely to buy bottled water and get their clothes dry-cleaned.
|
Age |
|||||
|
18-29 |
30-39 |
40-49 |
50-64 |
65+ |
|
|
(% who spend more than $0) |
|||||
| Gas |
77 |
85 |
82 |
87 |
88 |
| Bottled water |
65 |
75 |
69 |
68 |
53 |
| Energy efficient products (i.e., bulbs, detergents) |
46 |
55 |
53 |
60 |
60 |
| Organic food |
38 |
39 |
29 |
31 |
25 |
| Traditional print material |
25 |
38 |
39 |
49 |
62 |
| Dry cleaning |
17 |
21 |
14 |
17 |
11 |
| Downloaded material for e-reader |
17 |
17 |
13 |
12 |
10 |
I suppose we do what we can to help the earth, as long as it fits with our lifestyle. Or maybe we do what we can afford? Or, what’s recommended in the media we consume?
What’s your opinion on the age differences? Do you believe that on the whole this is driven by financial considerations – does it cost more to protect the earth, or do the long-term savings outweigh the short-term costs?
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