U.S. consumers the least 'green', survey says

U.S. consumers have the least "green" habits in the world in terms of energy use, transportation, travel, and goods, according to National Geographic and polling firm GlobeScan.

Blame the American appetite for large, two-car, gadget-packed homes located far from work, along with a general disregard for conservation and eco-friendly products, the report says.

The Greendex results, released Wednesday, are based on online surveys taken earlier this year examining the shopping habits and attitudes of 14,000 consumers in 14 countries.

The Greendex map paints developing nations a darker shade of green.

(Credit: National Geographic)

Among Americans' un-green daily habits, 59 percent said they drive alone, and a trifling 5 percent use public transportation. Seventy-eight percent eat beef weekly, and only 5 percent attempt to reduce the use of fresh water. U.S. shoppers were also far more likely than others to own multiple new TVs, PCs, and energy-hogging household appliances.

Canadian and French consumers didn't appear much to be better than those in the United States.

People in developing nations, by contrast, were more likely to live in smaller homes, use less polluting modes of transportation, repair rather than discard broken goods, and seek "green" products.

They were more likely to express worry that climate change will negatively affect their lifestyles. Only 12 percent of Americans said ecological woes are affecting their health.

GlobeScan rated Brazilian, Indian, and Chinese consumers as the most "green."

Nearly one-third of Brazilians reported buying "green" products regularly and 41 percent said they try to reduce their use of fresh water. Their overall score tied with that of Indians, whose low meat consumption and willingness to pay more for energy-conserving products helped to earn points.

The study also pitted national sustainability trends from the Economist Intelligence Unit, finding that the more new cars were purchased in a country, the lower its consumers ranked on eco-friendly transportation. Per capita wealth and increased consumption overall, both expected to increase as developing nations expand, were also tied together.

The Greendex Web site offers a quiz and calculator for users to measure their personal shade of green.

[Artemis Faust]

In regards to the fresh water bit, the DEKA foundation has recently devoloped a low power non osmotic filtration system that works exceptionally well. It filters out bacteria, heavy metals, and can even change sea water into fresh water, and converts 100 gallons of water per day.

[fire1fl]

And where is this found? I've seen the "black box" on television in a DEKA news event, but no indication of how it works, what powers it, what niche it fills. It seems enticing, but so was perpetual motion. (BTW, solar stills do the same thing but the metals and salts are still there in the waste brine. So what's the big deal?)

[berbar]

Isn't this obvious?

[crasher7]

high fuel consumption on cars is the main factor

[animeman59]

Strange, I've never seen a cancer ridden river villages in the U.S., unlike China. This "green" country is the same one that's responsible for the extinction of their own prized river dolphin, yearly dust storms that carry tons of harmful pollutants throughout Asia and as far as the U.S. west coast, and lines of villages along rivers whose population is ridden with cancer. We're also one of the few countries who actually try to increase our gas mileage for our SUVs, even with our strict emissions standards. Last I heard, India was bringing a $3000 car that doesnt' have any emissions rating; and no Chinese cars were ever able to pass our emissions standard. Consumers aren't the ones who need to go green. Government and infrastructure need to go green. Fast. Including the U.S. it doesn't matter if everybody suddenly starting using flourescent light bulbs if your local government is using 80% of the electricity with old-fashioned, power hungry bulbs and equipment.

[avivscrewvalla]

You're an idiot. No question about that in my mind. These countries have SUV's that get 30 mpgs, more than any in the US. The $3000 car has emissions ratings that exceed anything else on the road. Stop reading your tabloid magazines and evolve from a primate PLS. This country needs it!

[aurora4u]

This is a bunch of cow pies, we waist more energy in this country recycling, then if we just used our trash for cogeneration energy. Where are all the clean nuke plants ...?oh there in Europe?...We have Green Seal here a lobbying group telling us what to use....Trees are a farm crop, we do not use old growth forests for our paper needs?.Our warehouses in this country have been using electric power for about 100 years lifting heavy loads with battery forklifts.... Green is a money-maker for Companies who pay to license their products?Common sence and respect is what?s good for our Planet?Now they want us to by carbon credits to waist energy?it?s all cow pies.

[halfsek]

Riiiiight. I'm sure that nomadic tribesmen in the Middle East lead a truly green lifestyle. But that's meaningless.

I'll take the less "green" lifestyle in the US if it means that our farms feed the world and our technological, medical and financial support makes life easier for millions of people. Just ask those living with AIDS in Africa, for example.

[Aelwrath]

Lmao. Is it bad that I never knew United States farms "feed the world" and that we "make life easier for millions of people"? I always thought most countries hated us, and with good reason, but with logic like that, who can argue?!

[ecubes]

Imagine the energy that would be saved if the main stream media and all tv stations in the US went off air for a week. Of course that isn't going to happen because of all the green advertising money they would loose.