Recycling tops list of environmentally-friendly behaviour

London – Monday 28 January 2008 – Recycling has topped a poll as the most popular way to help reduce the impact of climate change, research by advertising agency Euro RSCG London has revealed.

Euro RSCG London - the creative agency behind the new EDF Energy ad made only by using recycled clips - surveyed 1000 adults nationwide to reveal that 74 per cent of the population claim to have changed their behaviour in the last year to become more environmentally friendly.

Recycling tops the list with 90 per cent of those who have changed their behaviour claiming to recycle their plastic, glass, paper and tin more than they did a year ago. Second to recycling is simply switching off electrical appliances more often (81%) while 77 per cent claimed they now invest in energy efficient light bulbs more than they did a year ago.

Top 10 of environmentally friendly actions:

(Action and % claiming to do more than a year ago)
1. Recycling - 90 %
2. Switch off electrical appliances more - 81%
3. Bought energy efficient light bulbs - 77%
4. Have the central heating on at a lower level / switch it on less - 62%
5. Used less water - 52%
6. Walk more - 47%
7. Look at where food products come from - 38%
8. Drive the car less - 33%
9. Look at how products are made - 27%
10. Take fewer international flights - 16%

Base: Those who have changed behaviour

Local councils' moves to encourage recycling have played a major part in behavioural shifts - nearly half of those who recycled more in the last year said that Local Council schemes made them act. In many cases, fear of being seen to not be green or fear of punishment prompted the behaviour shift, not just a desire to recycle. This highlights that government and social pressure are influential in driving green behaviour, not simply altruism.

Another reason for behavioural shifts is to save money. Consumers admit to using less electricity and water to lower bills, and are also motivated by incentives offered by large companies such as Tesco who offer extra loyalty points for environmentally friendly behaviour including the recycling of plastic carrier bags.

Actions that ranked further down the list include the offsetting of carbon emissions and buying a hybrid car, which would cost individuals more in terms of money and effort.

Euro RSCG London Chief Strategy Officer Russ Lidstone said:

“This research reveals that while people from all walks of life now see climate change as one of the key challenges that they face, for many the motivation to reduce their environmental impact is directly related to cost savings - or local councils prompting them into action, for example on recycling.”

- ENDS –

For further information please contact:
Georgina Lipscomb / Gemma Dunbar
Propeller Communications
2nd Floor, Royalty House
72 - 74 Dean Street
London W1D 3SG
T: 020 7437 3353/07737 388414
E: firstname.surname@propellercom.com

About EURO RSCG:

Euro RSCG London is a top ten UK advertising agency with a client roster including Citroën, Evian, Kraft, News Group Newspapers, Peugeot and Reckitt Benckiser. Euro RSCG London is part of Euro RSCG Worldwide, a leading integrated marketing communications agency made up of 233 offices located in 77 countries throughout Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia Pacific.

This release was published on openPR.