How Green Are You?

Posted on Tue May 20 2008

By: Hilary Feldman in Environment

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Despite increased attention to consumer habits and eco-friendly behaviour, North Americans are not very green. A recent survey conducted by Globescan, on behalf of the National Geographic Society, has some surprising findings.

The Greendex compared 1,000 consumers in each of 14 different countries, including Canada and the US. Representative nations from each continent were involved, from Brazil, Mexico, China, Japan, India, France, Germany, Hungary, Spain, the UK, Russia, and Australia. The initial results will act as a baseline for future comparisons.

Survey questions were carefully considered to pinpoint areas of global sustainability. Housing, transportation, food, and consumption of goods were key topics. Scores out of 100 were given to each participant, with high numbers representing sustainable behaviour. Overall, US consumers fared the worst, with the least sustainable habits, while Brazil and India came at the top.

Various recent surveys have examined emissions and other environmental issues. However, most of these are based on national performance and statistics, while the Greendex looks at individuals and their behaviour. In this way, the Greendex represents the active choices made by individual consumers, rather than national standards or policies. In some cases, it is not so much a matter of choice but what is locally available - such as public transportation. In other cases, preferring cold water for laundry can make an impact.

Another striking result is that every country demonstrates room for improvement. Even those at the top of the scale - Brazil and India - only scored 60 out of a possible 100. China (56.1), Mexico (54.3), Hungary (53.2), and Russia (52.4) followed. Then came Germany, Australia, and the UK (50.2), Spain (50), and Japan (49.1). At the bottom of the group were France (48.7), Canada (48.5), and the US (44.9).

How much does the survey reflect the differences between developed and developing nations? It is certainly true that developing countries have less opportunity for detrimental consumption - and this will likely change as economies strengthen. However, it currently appears that people in developing countries are more consciously aware of their choices, tying the health of the environment to their own personal health.

In fact, the respondents in developing countries live in smaller homes, own few electronics and appliances, and often walk, cycle, or use public transport. Other options may not even be available. Respondents in developed nations live in larger homes, drive individual vehicles, and make less conscientious choices when purchasing items. Even when many choices are possible, many consumers ignore the potential of environmentally sustainable options.

if you are curious about your own Greendex score, take the short version of the survey.