US, Canadian, consumers most wasteful in the world

In an effort to save money on energy costs and as a response to the economic crisis, a study by National Geographic and GlobeScan shows that consumers are more aware of their individual impact on ‘green’ issues and the health of their surrounding environment.

The survey took into account 17,000 consumers from 17 countries and looked closely at their consumer behaviour.

The results showed that China, Brazil, and India had the most environmentally conscious consumers while Canada and United States consumers ranked the lowest.

The report outlined that as people look for ways to save money on energy, the environment has benefited by association, but the question that remains to be answered is if the positive improvements in ‘green’ behaviour will stay once the economy recovers.

One promising aspect of the report showed that 60% of people polled are concerned about the environment for future generations, but a solid 14% said that they did not view the environmental problems as a concern in their life whatsoever.

The countries of Spain, Germany, Australia, and France showed the most improvement in sustainable activities.

The report is based fundamentally on consumers’ actions and initiatives, such as if an environmental behaviour was a choice or made out of discretion due to outside influences such as the economy.