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Executive summary

This report presents the findings of a nationwide survey, completed in September 2008. This survey was undertaken to update the results of a similar survey undertaken for the Ministry for the Environment’s Household Sustainability Programme in November 2007, to benchmark New Zealanders’ attitudes and behaviours towards acting sustainably.

Background

The long-term aim of the Household Sustainability Programme is to reduce negative impacts of the household sector on the environment. Household consumption places pressure on the environment. The second national state of the environment report, Environment New Zealand 2007, states that as household consumption increases, so too does the use of natural resources, energy and water; the generation of waste and greenhouse gas emissions; and the transportation of goods and people. Projections indicate that household consumption and related pressures on the environment will continue to increase.

In 2007 the Ministry for the Environment commissioned Research New Zealand to benchmark New Zealanders’ attitudes and behaviour with regard to acting sustainably in the home. The Household Sustainability Benchmark Survey was completed using qualitative research techniques and also a telephone survey with a nationally representative sample of 1000 New Zealanders, 15 years of age or more in November 2007.

The survey that is the focus of this report was completed to update the results of the benchmark survey. Completed between 3 and 27 September 2008 by telephone, it is also based on a nationally representative sample of 1000 New Zealanders, 15 years of age or more.

This survey was similar in its design to the benchmark survey. However, subsequent to the completion of this earlier survey, additional information became available from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in the United Kingdom, based on a survey that it had completed in March 2007. This survey segmented the population into seven distinct and independent groups based on pro-environmental behaviours.

A template for replicating this population segmentation was provided to the Ministry for the Environment. It was incorporated into the questionnaire design for the current survey, so that comparisons could be made.

Key findings from the current survey

The key insights from this year’s survey (September 2008) may be summarised as follows. Where appropriate, comparisons have been made with the results of the benchmark survey:

  1. The general public’s levels of perceived knowledge of environmental issues are mixed.
    While more than one-half of respondents believe they know a fair amount to a lot about climate change (55 percent) and global warming (58 percent), levels of informedness about carbon footprint, carbon dioxide emissions and carbon offsetting are significantly lower. The level of informedness is lowest for carbon offsetting at 18 percent.

  2. Despite these levels of perceived informedness, almost everyone agrees that New Zealand households generate too much waste.
    Eighty-seven percent of all respondents agree that New Zealand’s households are generating too much rubbish and waste, and 86 percent agree that water is a limited resource that should not be wasted.

  3. However, when asked about urgency, 50 percent believe it is very urgent that steps be taken to protect the environment.
    While just 2 percent of respondents claim it is not urgent that steps be taken to protect the environment, most of the remaining respondents state it is somewhat urgent (47 percent).

  4. Although one-half believe it is very urgent that steps be taken to protect the environment, nearly all agree that it is everyone’s responsibility to care for the environment.
    When asked about who was responsible for protecting and caring for the environment, 83 percent of respondents claim that all New Zealanders/everyone is responsible. This represents a significant increase on the 39 percent who felt this was the case when the benchmark survey was completed.

    About one-third of respondents (32 percent) also puts the responsibility with the New Zealand Government/government organisations, 11 percent with all business and industry in New Zealand and 7 percent with regional/local councils. These results are similar to those recorded in the benchmark survey, although a much lower proportion of respondents currently identify the New Zealand Government/government organisations as responsible (41 percent, November 2007).

  5. Reflecting the result for who is responsible, the majority report they are doing quite a few things (or more) to care for the environment.
    Just over one-half of respondents (52 percent) report doing quite a few things that are environmentally friendly. Importantly, another 22 percent claim that most things they do are environmentally friendly and 1 percent claim that this is the case with everything they do. In other words, 75 percent believe they are currently acting in a sustainable manner.

    In contrast, 23 percent state they only do one or two things that are environmentally friendly and another 1 percent admits to not doing anything.

    While a slightly different question was asked in the benchmark survey, the current result would appear to be similar to the situation recorded at that time. In November 2007, 72 percent of respondents reported they were doing a lot or doing a reasonable amount to care for the environment.

    Respondent behaviour in the current survey was examined in relation to their use of water, organic and electrical waste reduction, energy use, and transportation. Key findings are as follows with respect to each area:

    • Using water efficiently:
      • Two-thirds of respondents (69 percent) claim to give thought to the amount of water they use at home. However, almost one-third (29 percent) admit that they do not do this.
      • Most also claim to do only full loads of washing (82 percent), have one shower a day that is 3 to 5 minutes long (73 percent), and buy water efficient appliances (e.g. 80 percent would purchase a water efficient washing machine). Respondents who think about their households’ water use are more likely to state they have these behaviours.
      • The water efficient behaviours that over one-half of respondents (who are not doing them already) identify they will willingly do are: purchase water efficient appliances, replace shower heads, and reduce water volume in their toilet cistern.
    • Organic waste reduction:
      • Most respondents agree that New Zealand’s households generate too much rubbish and waste (87 percent).
      • They also claim they regularly plan what to buy, cook and eat to avoid wastage (79 percent) and compost garden rubbish and kitchen scraps at home (63 percent). Respondents who think that New Zealand households generate too much waste are more likely to state they have these behaviours.
      • The waste-reduction behaviours that over one-half of respondents identify they will willingly do (if they are not doing so already) are: plan what to buy, cook and eat to avoid wastage and compost garden rubbish and kitchen scraps.
    • Managing electrical waste:
      • Over one-half of respondents claim they regularly choose electrical products that are high quality and able to be repaired (83 percent) and use rechargeable batteries (77 percent).
      • The electrical waste reduction behaviours that over one-half of respondents identify they will willingly do (if they do not do or have them already) are: recycle cell phones, recycle computer printers, choose electrical products that are made with fewer toxic materials, use rechargeable batteries and choose electrical products that are high quality and can be repaired.
    • Energy use:
      • Eighty-three percent of respondents claim to give thought to the amount of energy they use at home. However, 16 percent admit that they do not do this.
      • They also claim to have the following in their homes: ceiling insulation (86 percent), thermal drapes and curtains (81 percent) and draught-proofing around doors and windows (55 percent).
      • The energy efficiency behaviours that over one-half of respondents identify they will willingly do (if they do not do or have them already) are: heat-saving wrap around electric hot water cylinders and pipes, draught-proofing, using energy efficient appliances, thermal drapes and curtains, and ceiling insulation.
    • Transportation:
      • Over one-half of respondents claim they regularly maintain their motor vehicle so that it does not use much fuel (93 percent) and drive smoothly and moderately for the same reason (90 percent). However, of those respondents who travel to work, 64 percent drive to work with no passengers.
      • The transport behaviours that over one-half of respondents identify they will willingly do (if they do not do or have them already) are: maintain their motor vehicle and drive smoothly and moderately so that it does not use much fuel. Less than one-half of those who travel to work are willing to car pool or use public transport.

  6. Although most perceive themselves to be acting sustainably already, the majority claim they would like to do more to care for the environment.
    When directly asked if they would like to do more to care for the environment, 19 percent of respondents state they would like to do a lot more and another 52 percent would like to do a bit more. That is, 71 percent express an interest in being more sustainable. In comparison, 28 percent claim they are happy doing what they are doing at present.

    It is important to place this positive result in perspective, given especially that almost one-third of respondents (31 percent) admit to finding it difficult to change their behaviours to act more sustainably.

  7. Despite nearly all agreeing that it is everyone’s responsibility to care for the environment, the majority believing themselves to be acting sustainably and most wanting to do more, just 15 percent feel very informed about the things they could do to help.
    That said, a further 80 percent claim they are somewhat informed, giving a total feeling informed to some degree of 95 percent. In other words, 5 percent of respondents do not believe they are informed about the things they can do to help care for the environment.

    While the overall result of 95 percent is comparable to that recorded in the benchmark survey (97 percent, November 2007), the percentage currently feeling very informed is lower than was the case approximately a year ago (27 percent). In other words, fewer respondents claim they are very informed.

  8. Significantly, most respondents state they would like to learn more about the things that they could do to care for the environment.

    Nearly three-quarters of respondents (74 percent) report they would like to learn more about caring for the environment, while 17 percent say they are already actively looking for and sharing information with others.

    In comparison, just 8 percent admitted not wanting to because they were not interested in the subject, while 2 percent did not know.

    Fewer respondents in the current survey claim to be actively looking for and sharing information with others compared to the situation when the benchmark survey was completed (28 percent, November 2007). The difference has largely been taken up in this year’s survey by an increase in the percentage reporting they would like to learn more (74 percent, compared with 63 percent in November 2007).

  9. The general media is most people’s source of information about the things they could do to help the environment.

    Seventy percent of respondents identify the media as the source they have mainly found out about the things they do to care for the environment. Other, frequently mentioned sources include their friends and family (32 percent), their local council (15 percent) and websites (10 percent). Twenty percent also state that what they do is common sense.

    While the media was identified as a key source of information by respondents in the benchmark survey (82 percent identified the media as a source of information), significantly more respondents identified other sources than is the case in the current survey. For example, 58 percent identified their local council as a source in the benchmark survey compared to 15 percent in the current survey. While differences in the way the question was asked between the two surveys might account for this difference, the result based on the current survey is probably the more accurate, given that this question was asked on an unprompted basis.

  10. Compared to the United Kingdom, New Zealand has significantly more “Waste Watchers”.

    Defra’s United Kingdom population segmentation referred to in the earlier Background section, is based on seven segments of groups of people; each segment being uniquely different from the others in terms of its size and attitudes to being sustainable. The largest segments are described as being “Positive Greens” and “Honestly Disengaged” (both represent 18 percent of the population), while the smallest segment is described as being “Stalled Starters” (10 percent).

    When this segmentation is recreated based on the New Zealand population, there are two significant findings:

    • The largest segment in New Zealand comprises “Waster Watchers” who, at 39 percent, represent three times the size of the equivalent segment in the United Kingdom (12 percent).
    • New Zealand has fewer people who are by attitude are unlikely to act sustainably. In the United Kingdom, the “Honestly Disengaged” and the “Stalled Starters” account for 28 percent of the population, but in New Zealand they account for just 16 percent.

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