Brazil, India have 'greenest' lifestyle, US trails

[FabianPattberg]

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Selected news from our partner website CorporateResponsibility.Net:

Inhabitants of Brazil and India have the world's most environmentally-sustainable lifestyle and Americans have the least, according to a new study tracking global attitudes towards consumption and the environment, AFP reports.
The survey by the National Geographic Society establishes a "Greendex" - an index measuring the economic impact of consumer lifestyle choices - in four key areas: housing, transportation, food and goods.
Researchers noted that the lifestyles of people in developing countries tend to have fewer adverse effects on the environment than people in developed countries. Inhabitants of developing countries are more likely to live in smaller homes, own relatively few appliances, and walk, cycle or use public transportation. However, the index rankings could change as growing economic prosperity allows consumers to spend more.
Read more.


Source: CSR Europe

[Karl]

From: Americans least environmental, according to a new survey

Below are the fourteen nations surveyed in order of how 'green' they are:

1. Brazilians
2. India
3. Chinese
4. Mexicans
5. Hungarians
6. Russians
7. British
8. Germans
9. Australians
10. Spanish
11. Japanese
12. French
13.Canadians
14. Americans

The study suggested that people can lower their “Greendex” by eating less meat and drinking less bottled water; ensuring their houses are energy efficient and keeping the heat and air conditioning at lower settings; owning less televisions and computers; and driving less and using more mass transit.

[Karl]

I noticed while browsing other websites, that there seems to be some uncertainty about the meaning of the survey results, and what they signify (especially the “country rankings”), so here is National Geographic’s Terry Garcia explanation of the “Greendex 2008”:

E&ETV -- Video Guide -- OnPoint: 05/12/2008

The survey was intended to provide a snapshot on consumer lifestyle choices (house size, energy efficiency of appliances, meat consumption, bottled water, usual transport means, etc.), as well as general attitudes towards environmental issues – not about the energy or environment performance of the country as a whole. It’s about the consumer behaviour of the people and the sustainability of their lifestyle, regardless of the individual government policies, etc. They intend to repeat these Greendex rankings each year to obtain trends on the lifestyle sustainability / consumer choices in the different countries.

The National Geographic site has the actual questionnaire used in this survey (Greendex: Survey of Sustainable Consumption - National Geographic) – this can be used by individuals to get an estimate of your own “Personal Greendex” ranking, and to check how your ranking relates to the countries surveyed -
(map, Are You As Green As India & China? : EcoWorldly)