Three in five Americans care as much about saving the environment as they do about saving money, according to a recent survey into sustainability habits of 2,000 U.S. residents.
But let’s not applaud this news just yet.
While 64 percent of those polled claim to care about the health of the planet and their wallet in equal measure, we have to wonder if that’s really true or just what they think they should say. Sort of like how everyone says we should brush our teeth every day but only 54 percent of young men actually do.
Still, 66 percent of respondents said they’d be “willing to try anything that can help save the environment,” which is better than nothing. And many already practice easy habits every day.
Seventy-five percent of respondents said turning off the lights is an easy habit for them, while 66 percent make sure to turn off running water whenever possible. And while 63 percent choose to shower rather than bathe, but given the choice, they’re much more likely to opt for showers shorter than ten minutes (60 percent) over ones with colder water (25 percent).
Overall, every person’s contribution has the power to make a difference. Julie Clawson, author of Everyday Justice: The Global Impact of Our Daily Choices, spoke to RELEVANT about how each individual contribution can make a lasting impact on society.
“On one hand, it is a matter of scale,” Clawson explained. “Get enough individuals doing the same thing, and their impact will be significant. There is something about the collective ‘we’ that multiplies our impact and effects great change. When one person starts living differently, and gets a friend on board, and then perhaps a small group or an entire church, [they are] making a difference that extends far beyond [themselves].”
