So we know young people are pretty convinced about the reality of climate change (see Chart 4 in this section)but what do we know about their actual daily habits. Do they leave the TV on standby, forget to turn off lights in empty rooms, or let the tap run while brushing their teeth? Can we get a peek into their everyday ‘eco-friendly’ behaviour?
Well, when it comes to turning off taps and TVs, there's been some progress. They are gradually getting better at saving water, but still quite likely to leave the TV on standby!
Aside from the challenge of developing these habits as teenagers, they may feel stuck in a Catch-22 situation where they do care, but making significant changes that will have a meaningful impact feels beyond their control.
Chart data source:
https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/documentation/mainstage/variables/ypenvhabit1/
https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/documentation/mainstage/variables/ypenvhabit3/