We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.
The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ...
Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.
Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.
The pandemic has made the UK more environmentally conscious but less likely to recycle, according to new research conducted by insurance company Aviva.
According to the survey which was conducted on 4,000 randomly selected UK adults, 52% say they are more environmentally conscious now than pre-pandemic.
However, the survey also revealed that fewer people are recycling or avoiding single-use plastic. In December 2019, 73% of people said they were recycling through local bin collections, whereas in February 2021, this figure had dropped to 51%.
Similarly, in December 2019, 61% of people were avoiding single-use plastic, in February 2021 the figure had fallen to 36%.
The authors of the study have highlighted that some people’s green intentions have been hampered by lockdown restrictions, closures of shops and facilities, and the availability of some goods and services. This in turn may have made people more conscious of their environmental responsibilities, if they were unable to fulfil them.
The latest study also reiterates a trend that overall, older people are more likely to undertake environmentally-friendly actions than their younger counterparts.
The study finds people aged 65+ are most likely to recycle their waste through local bin collections, buy seasonal fruit and vegetables, and avoid single-use plastic.
A notable exception to this relates to people adopting a vegan diet. Over-65s are least likely to be vegan, at just 1% of this age group, while 9% of under-25s say they eat a purely plant-based diet.
Gareth Hemming, managing director of Aviva said: ‘This latest study suggests green ambitions are still strong within the UK, but they appear to have taken a knock. More than half of UK adults say they are even more environmentally conscious as a result of Covid-19 conditions, but the steps taken to support green living have fallen considerably since pre-pandemic days.
‘This may be a result of practical limitations as the closure of shops and services may have hampered their environmental efforts, and we can hope that once people exit ‘survival mode’, their green behaviours will be boosted again.’
For more information, click here.
Photo Credit – Pixabay