Aussies A Middling Shade Of Green

The Age

Thursday May 8, 2008

By Adam Morton, Environment reporter

LIKE a contrary student who excels in science but confounds teachers by failing maths, Australians are inconsistent environmental performers. That, at least, is how we describe ourselves.

According to a survey comparing consumers' behaviour in 14 countries, we are nearly top in conserving water and using energy-saving appliances but trail in relying on cars and cutting our household footprint.

The result is that Australia comes out middle of the pack on the National Geographic Society's inaugural "Greendex" survey - above most of the First World but trailing emerging economies Brazil, India and China. Surveying 14,000 people over the internet from countries comprising more than half the world's population, the world-first study asked people to describe their behaviour in housing, transport, food and consumption.

The most surprising finding, say researchers, was that consumers in the developing world - Russia, Brazil, India, China and Mexico - were more worried about the environment, and the impact of environmental problems on their health, than people in Australia, Europe and North America.

With the drought in mind, Australians rated the environment as the biggest problem. But hardly any believed environmental problems were affecting their health or that global warming would worsen their way of life.

Australia ranked second last for environmentally friendly transport behaviour, behind the US, with low use of public transport - only 22% say they use it at least once a week - and the highest proportion of trips taken driving alone.

But Australia ranked second for food consumption, with 85% saying they ate locally grown produce and 97% regularly opting for fruit and vegetables.

Alongside Canadians, Australians were the best recyclers - 59% said they always recycled waste. They also have comparatively big houses. Nearly one in three people said their home had nine rooms or more.

EARTH?S GOOD CITIZENS - HOW WE COMPARE

1 BRAZIL, INDIA

3 CHINA

4 MEXICO

5 HUNGARY

6 RUSSIA

7 AUSTRALIA, BRITAIN, GERMANY

10 SPAIN

11 JAPAN

12 FRANCE

13 CANADA

14 US

AUSTRALIA

22% say they use public transport at least once a week

60%say they make solo car trips every day

85% say they eat locally grown produce

59% say they always recycle waste

SOURCE: THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY

© 2008 The Age

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