Nine in Ten (87%) Canadians Say That When Connected to Nature They Feel Happier
Overwhelming Majority (85%) Worry that Natural Areas We Enjoy Today Will Not Be Here for their Children or Grandchildren
Nine in ten (87%) Canadians agree (32% strongly/55% somewhat) that the more connected they feel to nature, the happier they are. Most Canadians (85%) also agree (39% strongly/46% somewhat) that they are worried that the natural areas we enjoy today will not be here for their children or grandchildren.
Perhaps as a result, nearly two in three (62%) Canadians said they would consider contributing to the Nature Conservancy of Canada, a charitable organization that works to preserve the natural Canadian landscape. In fact, almost three quarters (73%) of Canadians would like to learn more about the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
Canadians feel close to the environment and they consider their environment quite important. Three quarters (75%) of Canadians feel that preserving natural areas and the variety of native plant and animal life in Canada is important to them (37% extremely/38% very). When asked why it is important to protect our natural areas, one in three (35%) Canadians indicate that it is appropriate to leave it as a legacy for our children. One quarter (23%) indicate it is important to protect plants and animals that are at risk while two in ten (20%) reveal it was to ensure clean water. One in seven (14%) said to was to ensure clean air while 4% said it was important to preserve our Canadian identity or to save rare habitats.
Canadians are known to be quite generous when it comes to charities and their decision to donate is based on a number of factors. Almost one half (47%) of Canadians indicate that one of the factors that helps them determine where to donate is their personal connection to the charity, and nature is something that almost everyone has a connection with. Canadians enjoy spending time outdoors, and the most common way that four in ten (44%) Canadians experience the nature around them is by hiking. A second common way to experience nature is to go camping, as expressed by 37% of Canadians. One in three (34%) participate in outdoor sports in a natural setting while 28% like to spend time at a cottage. One in ten (10%) enjoy bird watching and 34% experience nature around them in other ways. Camping was the preferred way of experiencing nature by the majority (54%) of younger Canadians between 18-34 years of age. Those between 35-54 years of age prefer to go hiking (48%) as do those over the age of 55 (32%).
Other ways of determining to whom to donate is from a referral from someone they know and trust (30%), while two in ten (20%) revealed it was through media stories. One in seven (14%) Canadians said a compelling solicitation such as an appeal was an influence while 3% said a celebrity endorsement influenced them.
These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted between September 16 and 21, 2010, on behalf of the Nature Conservancy of Canada. For this survey, a sample of 1,036 adults from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/-3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what the results would have been had the entire population of adults in Canada been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.
For more information on this news release, please contact:
Sean Simpson
Senior Research Manager
Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs
(416) 572-4474
[email protected]
About Ipsos Reid
Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.
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Member companies assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media. They measure public opinion around the globe. Ipsos member companies offer expertise in advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, and public affairs research, as well as forecasting, modeling, and consulting. Ipsos has a full line of custom, syndicated, omnibus, panel, and online research products and services, guided by industry experts and bolstered by advanced analytics and methodologies. The company was founded in 1975 and has been publicly traded since 1999. In 2009, Ipsos generated global revenues of e943.7 million ($1.33 billion U.S.). .
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