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Who cares more about the environment? Men or women?
- Teena Hammond
So, the big question is, when it comes to being eco-friendly, who cares more? Men or women?
I hadn't even realized this was a real question until I ran across an interesting article in the Los Angeles Times. The article reported that there is a definite difference between the genders.
But which gender is it, if you had to guess? According to the study, it's women: "Women consistently rank values strongly linked to environmental concern — things such as altruism, personal responsibility and empathy — as more important than men do. They also say they see environmentalism as important to protecting themselves and their families."
The study found that women are less likely than men to support cuts in environmental spending, and they are more likely to buy eco-friendly and organic foods and they're more likely to recycle.
But it's not just the one study that has reached such findings. The article also stated, "a survey of research by investigators at Stanford, Ohio State University and the Associated Press found women perceived greater vulnerability to risks and were more willing to pay higher income taxes and gasoline prices to protect the environment."
There's still room for men to find new ways to be environmentally conscious. Because, for instance, men make the auto purchasing decisions in many households. Opting for a greener vehicle is one of the ways they can help protect the environment. Although a shiny new sports car is awfully tempting. (Shhh...don't tell anyone that a green editor said this, but sometimes there's nothing more perfect on a summer evening than a fast ride in a sleek Corvette. It's all about balance!)
The article points out that research at Carnegie Mellon University shows that in the U.S., the average single man is responsible for the equivalent of 32 tons of carbon dioxide annually, compared with 30 tons for a woman, mainly because of vehicle use.
Of course there are plenty of other ways men can go green. Such as, oh, I don't know ... building the ultimate green home with the latest and greatest in energy efficiency? Yes, that's a definite win.
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