U.S. at bottom of Greendex 2010 environmental survey
Jun 3, 2010 12:01 PM
Greendex 2010 ranks 17 countries.
The U.S. team's World Cup fortune will start to be told with its June 12 opener against England. But in Greendex 2010: Consumer Choice and the Environment, another global contest of sorts, Americans have already placed dead last. Greendex 2010, conducted by the National Geographic Society and polling firm GlobeScan, is a survey that covers environmental behavior among consumers in 17 countries; 17,000 people took part in the survey. Its release today coincides with World Environment Day, which takes place on Saturday, June 5. See the map below for details on each country.
Greendex uses a variety of metrics, including household energy use and consumption of everyday products. The U.S. ranked last for the third year in a row with a score of 45.0, behind Canada (47.9), France (48.9), and Great Britain (49.6). The large size of the average American home and heavy energy use for heating and cooling and cars pushed down the U.S. score.
India (62.6), Brazil (58), and China (57.3) topped Greendex 2010, in large part because many citizens in those countries simply don't consume as much as Americans do. But environmental awareness is also a factor. For example, 37 percent of Chinese consumers see the environment as the most important issue facing their country, compared with 1 percent of Americans.
"Perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects of this study is the continuing and indeed increasing environmental literacy of developing and rapidly developing economy consumers in Asia and Latin America, including India, Brazil, and China," said Achim Steiner, executive director of the U.N. Environment Program, in a news release.
The other 10 countries in Greendex 2010 are Mexico (54.8), Argentina (54.2), Russia (54.2), Hungary (54.1), South Korea (52.8), Sweden (50.7), Spain (50.4), Australia (50.3), Germany (50.0), and Japan (49.7).
While China and India aren't participating in South Africa 2010, though 11 of the 17 Greendex countries will play. Fans of Brazil must be hoping that the Seleção Brasileira will surpass the country's good Greendex score and bring home its sixth World Cup title.
—Daniel DiClerico
India (62.6), Brazil (58), and China (57.3) topped Greendex 2010, in large part because many citizens in those countries simply don't consume as much as Americans do. But environmental awareness is also a factor. For example, 37 percent of Chinese consumers see the environment as the most important issue facing their country, compared with 1 percent of Americans.
"Perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects of this study is the continuing and indeed increasing environmental literacy of developing and rapidly developing economy consumers in Asia and Latin America, including India, Brazil, and China," said Achim Steiner, executive director of the U.N. Environment Program, in a news release.
The other 10 countries in Greendex 2010 are Mexico (54.8), Argentina (54.2), Russia (54.2), Hungary (54.1), South Korea (52.8), Sweden (50.7), Spain (50.4), Australia (50.3), Germany (50.0), and Japan (49.7).
While China and India aren't participating in South Africa 2010, though 11 of the 17 Greendex countries will play. Fans of Brazil must be hoping that the Seleção Brasileira will surpass the country's good Greendex score and bring home its sixth World Cup title.
—Daniel DiClerico
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