Green Intentions — Misplaced Actions

New MORI research reveals that people's perceptions about what they can do to help the environment are out of step with their actual environmental impact.

The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment (INCPEN) commissioned MORI to carry out research, ahead of the G8 Summit in Gleneagles, where global climate change is top of the agenda.

Global climate change is the largest environmental threat at present, and it is generally agreed that this results from the use of fossil fuel energy. Yet, seven in 10 people (70%) believe that recycling is the most important thing we can do for the environment, while just one in 20 (five per cent) thinks taking fewer foreign holidays makes a difference. According to Friends of the Earth, aviation emissions are one of the leading causes of climate change.

The research highlights the progress of public awareness around recycling and energy efficiency since INCPEN commissioned similar research in 1999.

• 70% of people now see recycling as the solution to environmental deterioration, compared to 46% in 1999
• 27% of people believe that using less electricity protects the environment ? this compares to just eight per cent who thought turning off electricity had an impact six years ago
• This year, 21% of people acknowledge the value of taking public transport, the same proportion as cite walking or cycling, rather than driving their own car. This is has risen from nine per cent and seven per cent respectively since 1999

The below shows people's actual estimated impact, measured by the energy needed, to provide a typical household with its goods and services.

Perceptions

MORI, on behalf of INCPEN, May 2005 and 1999

Reality

Research conducted by Dr Jan Kooijman at Food Technology Consulting, at the time visiting professor at Wageningen University.

Technical details

MORI carried out 973 interviews with adults aged 15+ over 175 sampling points in Great Britain between 19 and 24 May 2005. Interviews were conducted face-to-face in the home and data are weighted to the known profile of the British population.

The following question was asked:

What kind of things can people do to help protect and improve the environment? Please select up to three.

*measured as 'turn off electricity' in 1999