Millennials display environmental awareness as a whole
In an article on NPR written by Alina Selyukh on Jan. 7 2016, our text messages contribute to global warming through carbon dioxide.
And which generation is generally known for texting the most?
Millennials.
The Millennial generation is one of the largest generations to exist ever since the Baby Boomer generation. The millennial generation is defined by many trends: increased use of social media, wider acceptance of the LGBTQ community and a rising global awareness of the human causes of climate change and the effects of climate change.
Compared to previous generations, Millennials are the most environmentally conscious and sustainable as of yet. According to another article from NPR written by Chris Benderev on Oct. 11 2014, polls show that people under 30 favor the development of alternative energy sources to replace the coal and oil industry more than older Americans. The polls also showed that younger Americans are more likely than previous generations to believe that human actions are responsible for climate change today. The biggest social waves to raise awareness of climate change and its dangers happen on college campuses across the country. Since Millennials are so passionate about climate activism, it makes it easier for news and media outlets and older generations invested in helping the environment to harness their passion and spread an eco-friendly message.
However, there are some inconsistencies associated Millennials’ enthusiasm for the environment. In a report conducted by the Glass Packaging Institute on Nov. 2014, statistics show that millennials believe that small actions have a large impact on the environment and are willing to pay more for eco-friendly products. But, their intent does not always translate to taking more action. Millennials might have high levels of intent, but their actions don’t always follow through.
Despite millennials’ low actions in terms of climate activism, their passion could still translate to future change concerning climate legislation combating climate change.
