Do Gen Z and millennials care about their environmental impact?

In light of the recent conversations comparing US Gen Z and millennials, Savanta found that they are more alike than they are different when it comes to environmental impact.

In recent years, there has been more and more attention surrounding young people and what makes them tick. The age of information has contributed to the perception that both Gen Z and millennials have a role in contributing to a better future. Regardless of what they decide to focus on, climate change and global warming have become a prevailing issue that stands to be reckoned with.

80% of the millennial consumers consciously attempt to minimize waste in their household, as opposed to the 73% of Gen Z consumers.

In recent years, there has been more and more attention surrounding young people and what makes them tick. The age of information has contributed to the perception that both Gen Z and millennials have a role in contributing to a better future. Regardless of what they decide to focus on, climate change and global warming have become a prevailing issue that stands to be reckoned with.

With the Biden administration’s focusing their attention on addressing the climate emergency, there is a new drive amongst the Gen Z and millennial populations to make a significant change.

Savanta’s data reports that 80% of the millennial consumers consciously attempt to minimize waste in their household, as opposed to the 73% of Gen Z consumers. 71% of Gen Z consumers and 72% of millennials are aware of what needs to be done to minimize waste. Of the Gen Z and millennial consumers who believe in global warming and climate change, 75% are more likely to be aware of ways to reduce household waste.

Around half of the Gen Z (56%) and millennial (57%) population thinks that climate change is a political issue. In terms of gender, 61% of females are more likely to think of climate change as a political issue as opposed to 51% of males.

As a general matter, 82% of Gen Z and 81% of millennials believe in global warming. 89% of Gen Z and 86% of millennials believe in climate change. Within the US, 95% of consumers in the Northeast region are more likely to believe in climate change as opposed to the Midwest and South regions that only show 83% and 86% respectively.

Recycling and composting have become habitual, with 86% of Gen Z and 79% of the millennials recycle plastic. 86% of Gen Z and 69% of millennial consumers recycle paper. However, 45% of Gen Z and 41% of millennial compost waste, a much lower average than recycling paper and plastic.

How have Gen Z and millennial food habits changed based on environmental impact?

With further information out on eating habits and their impact on the environment, millennials and Gen Z consumers are not changing their eating consumption as much as predicted, with 68% of Gen Z and 71% of millennials consuming meat.

7% of Gen Z and 6% of millennials are vegetarian, and 6% of Gen Z and 3% of millennials are vegan. 5% of Gen Z and 3% of millennials are gluten-free. 4% of Gen Z and 4% of millennials are dairy-free. 2% of Gen Z and 4% of millennial consumers are pescatarians.