Gays Are Greener Than Straights

When it comes to the environment, there is an interesting difference in who is and who is not green.  Lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender (LGBT) adults are “greener” than their heterosexual counterparts – LGBT adults are more likely to express concern for the environment, describe themselves in green terms (e.g., environmentalist, “green,” conservationist), and say environmental issues are important to their voting and purchasing decisions.
However, while LGBT adults are increasing their commitment to the environment, American adults overall are now less likely than they were in the summer of 2009 to espouse certain “green” attitudes and engage in various environmentally-friendly activities.
These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,352 U.S. adults (ages 18 and over), surveyed online between November 8 and November 15, 2010 by Harris Interactive.
A comparison between the 2010 and 2009 surveys reveals that fewer Americans are now “going green.”  Specifically, compared to 2009, adults in America are now less likely to engage in various green behaviors in their daily life, including:
* Making an effort to use less water (60% 2009 vs. 57% 2010);
* Purchasing locally grown produce (39% 2009 vs. 33% 2010);
* Purchasing locally manufactured products (26% 2009 vs. 23% 2010);
* Purchasing organic products (17% 2009 vs. 15% 2010); and,
* Composting food and organic waste (17% 2009 vs. 15% 2010).
And, U.S. adults are also less likely to have adopted certain environmental activities in the past year, including:
* Purchased Energy Star appliances (36% 2009 vs. 30% 2010);
* Donated or recycled electronics (41% 2009 vs. 32% 2010);
* Switched from bottled to tap water (29% 2009 vs. 23% 2010);
* Installed a low-flow showerhead or toilet (25% 2009 vs. 20% 2010); and,
* Purchased a hybrid or more fuel-efficient car (13% 2009 vs. 8% 2010).
Not only are fewer Americans behaving in environmentally-friendly ways, but many are now also less likely to embrace, or be influenced by, “green” attitudes – just over 1 in 3 U.S. adults (36%) say they are concerned about the planet they are leaving behind for future generations, compared to more than 2 in 5 adults (43%) who said so in 2009. And, only 28% of adults say environmental issues are very or extremely important to them when deciding how to vote for political candidates, compared to more than 1 in 3 adults (36%) who said this was important to them in 2009.
from Press Release
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