people want to be more sustainable. what’s stopping them?

PEOPLE WANT TO BE MORE SUSTAINABLE.WHAT’S STOPPING THEM?

Behaviours and intentions of British consumers around sustainability

2000UK adults surveyed by Opinium on behalf of Pure Planet

5Sustainability experts

Partners Opinium Goldbug Corke Wallis

Will Butler-Adams OBE CEO of Brompton BicyclesRobert Llewellyn Founder of Fully Charged, Actor, Presenter, EV expert

Wera Hobhouse MP Member of Parliament for Bath, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Justice, Women and Equalities

Sophie Preisig Sustainability Manager at Monsoon and Accessorize Dr Zac Baynham-Herd Energy and Sustainability Advisor Behavioural Insights Team

4T H A N N UA L E D I T I O N

PEOPLE & POWER REPORT 2020 2

Foreword

When we launched Pure Planet in 2017, we set out with one goal – to help create a better world by supplying clean, renewable energy to people’s homes for less than fossil-burning alternatives. Electricity should be green. Gas should be carbon neutral. And they should be cheaper. We now have approaching 200,000 Members who are saving money and cutting their carbon footprint.

In fact, our Members have saved or offset 1,000,000 tonnes of CO2e from harming our atmosphere. Together, we’ve made a huge difference, and are helping to tackle climate change. There’s more to come. The more Pure Planet grows, the more the climate benefits.

We recently conducted our fourth annual People and Power 2020 survey. This is a nationally representative survey to learn more about the people’s attitudes towards sustainability in 21st century Britain. 2020 has been a year like no other. But it’s also given us a unique opportunity to put sustainability at the heart of our recovery from the pandemic, alongside tackling the challenges of the climate emergency – especially through this coming decade, the so-called make or break years.

For the first time, we asked a panel of sustainability experts from a variety of backgrounds to help analyse and explain the survey’s results. Our panel and our research uncovered some intriguing and exciting insights about where we are today.

By improving our understanding, we hope to outline solutions to overcome these obstacles and help people to live more sustainably in the future.

Steven DayCo-Founder, Pure Planet

The Pure Planet People & Power Report 2020

The Pure Planet People and Power Report 2020 provides a unique insight into current attitudes towards sustainability in the UK. We worked with Opinium to survey 2,000 UK adults across all ages with 16 questions about sustainability. Carried out between 6th and 8th October 2020. The report provides an opportunity to analyse the behaviours and intentions of the British public.

While intentions are good, actions are limited. Our panel interrogates the data and looks at what is holding us back.

Finally, there is positivity in people’s belief that individually, and collaboratively, we can all take action to live sustainably and combat climate change.

The findings were evaluated by a panel of experts at a roundtable discussion event on 27 October 2020. To cite this document and its data, please refer to: “Pure Planet People & Power Report 2020”


Our Panel

WILL BUTLER-ADAMS OBEWill Butler Adams OBE has been the CEO of Brompton Bicycle since 2008. Brompton builds over 45,000 bikes each year and is the UK’s largest bike manufacturer. Will is a campaigner for cleaner, safer cycling, and pedestrian-friendly cities.

DR ZAC BAYNHAM-HERDEnergy and Sustainability Advisor at the Behavioural Insights Team which guides governments and companies on policy and change. Zac’s PhD is in behaviour change.

WERA HOBHOUSEWera Hobhouse is the Liberal Democrat MP for Bath and Spokesperson for Justice, Women and Equalities. She’s a former Spokesperson for the Environment and Climate Change. She has been a lifelong campaigner for sustainability.

We assembled a panel of five sustainability experts from different sectors to give the broadest possible view of the issues the survey raised.

ROBERT LLEWELLYNRobert, a well-known actor, comedian, TV presenter and founder of Fully Charged – the world’s number one clean energy and electric vehicle show.

SOPHIE PREISIGSophie is the Sustainability Manager at high street fashion labels Monsoon and Accessorize. She has more than 20 years’ experience working in sustainability for major corporates.


ACTIONS VS INTENTIONSConsumers want to be more sustainable.

More than four fifths (78%) now believe we all have a responsibility to try to prevent climate change and three quarters (75%) say they try to reduce their environmental impact wherever possible, this is up four points from 2019.

People have also walked or cycled more short journeys that they would have driven previously, recycled more plastic and reduced the amount of meat they eat. People say they intend to take more sustainable actions in the coming 12 months.

Travelled short journeys by foot or bike

Bought an electric vehicle

Reduced meat consumption

Reduced single use plastic

Bought an electric bike

Ditched fast fashion

30%TOOK

ACTION

2%TOOK

ACTION

19%TOOK

ACTION

93%TOOK

ACTION

3%TOOK

ACTION

17%TOOK

ACTION

41%INTEND TO

TAKE ACTION

31%INTEND TO

TAKE ACTION

38%INTEND TO

TAKE ACTION

53%INTEND TO

TAKE ACTION

21%INTEND TO

TAKE ACTION

46%INTEND TO

TAKE ACTION

Intentions are good. People believe in sustainabilityWHICH OF THE FOLLOWING CHOICES HAVE YOU MADE IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS?

YEAR ON YEAR 2019 2020

We all have a responsibility to prevent climate change

AGREE 74% 78%

DISAGREE 7% 5%

I try to reduce my impact wherever possible

AGREE 71% 75%

DISAGREE 7% 6%


81% of peoplebelieve they can do more The desire to move towards a

more sustainable way of living is here. But there’s a measurable gap between people’s intentions and their actions.

81% of people believe they can do more to be sustainable. Among younger people, just 11% say they are doing all they can to be sustainable, compared with 27% of over 55s.

I’m sure we all want to do more, but often we don’t. So there’s this gap between our intentions and our actions, and that exists

for all kinds of human behaviour, whether that’s going to the gym or going on your bike or what you eat. DR ZAC BAYNHAM-HERD

Doing all we can to take action

OVER 55

18 – 34 YEAR OLDS

27%

11% no plans to buy an

electric car

wouldn’t switch gas or oil heating

for electric

no plans to switch to renewable

energy supplier

wouldn’t walk or cycle more

wouldn’t eat more plant based food

wouldn’t improve insulation

53% 55%

41% 18%33%

not taken action to reduce their impact on the environment17%

29%


COSTPeople think it costs more to live sustainably.

EFFORTPeople think it’s too difficult or time consuming to live sustainably.

SACRIFICEPeople want to see change, but they aren’t supporting the UK’s big ideas.

Our panel has reviewed the survey results to analyse people’s motivations, and perceptions.

There are three key considerations stopping people from taking action.


COSTOne of the biggest blockers of living more sustainably is the belief that it costs more to go green.

Almost two thirds (65%) think it is more expensive to lead a sustainable lifestyle. Only 5% think it is cheaper to be green. The cost issue is felt more strongly among younger audiences. Almost a third (31%) of 18-35 year olds blame cost for stopping them being more sustainable, compared with 17% of over 55s who list finance as a factor.

People assume if you buy an electric car, it will use loads of electricity and that’s going to cost you more. The fact of the

matter is the cheapest petrol car you can possibly buy, if you drive it really carefully and gently, will cost you between 12p and 15p per mile. If you have an electric car, it will cost you between 1p-2p per mile. So they’re much cheaper to run, and it really is a noticeable difference.

ROBERT LLEWELYN

This is something I often hear: ‘I’d love to switch to renewables but it would cost more.’ We founded Pure Planet to prove that it

doesn’t have to. Cost is the factor that affects our biggest decisions, so it was about changing people’s perceptions. Until a few years ago renewable energy, like many sustainable products, was still seen as a luxury option for people who could afford to support their beliefs. Now it’s accessible for everyone, why wouldn’t you do it? It’s a no-brainer.

STEVEN DAY

Can’t afford to be more sustainable

£ is the reason for not taking action in last 12 months

Believe renewable energy is more expensive

Won’t consider an EV until the cost falls

OVER 5518 – 34 YEAR OLDS

17%

27%

22%

42%

31%

11%

25%

33%

THOUGHT IT WAS MORE EXPENSIVE TO LEAD A SUSTAINABLE LIFEST YLE

SAID IT WAS CHEAPER

65%

5%


You can live a more sustainablelifestyle and savea significant amount of moneyat the same timeJOY & JOHN TAYLOR

Retired Stockton-on-Tees couple Joy and John Taylor have found ways to live more sustainably and cut £1,290 a year from their bills.

Former civil servant Joy, and her husband John, an electrician of 41 years, decided to look at how much electricity each of their appliances were using each day.

Instead of boiling their kettle 8-10 times per day, the couple boil it once and fill a Thermos giving them hot water for drinks all day. They rarely use the tumble dryer, choosing instead to line dry 95% of clothes and run the dryer for short periods. And Joy never leaves household appliances on standby – government figures show this saves households almost £90 per year – and switches the lights off when leaving a room.

Joy joked: “A common phrase in our household when the kids were growing up was ‘It’s like Blackpool Illuminations in here’.’’

One of the biggest savings the couple made was switching to 100% renewable energy supplier Pure Planet a year ago, knocking £120 off their bill with their previous supplier.

“It’s one of the biggest savings we made and it’s good to know that when we do use energy, it’s completely renewable.”

Outside of the home, the couple grow all their own vegetables on a 750sq ft plot , which costs them £12 per year to rent. It gives the family enough fresh fruit and vegetables to last six months of the year. Joy estimates this saves her £240 a year as well as reducing the amount of single-use consumed. She said: “We save an average of £40 a month on fruit and vegetables. When I do buy fruit from the supermarket, I make sure I buy unpackaged items to reduce plastic waste.”

Without the allotment Joy says she would still be able to grow most of the food in the garden and even grows herbs in a window box.

To make her sustainable savings go further, Joy also plans meals ahead and only buys what she needs from the supermarket – only buying the ingredients she needs with almost no wastage saves her an estimated £100 per month.

She said: “Shopping smart to reduce food waste is really important. I make sure I’m making use of items in my fridge before the sell-by dates. Any food waste we do have goes straight into the compost in our allotment.”

Joy takes care of her mum who lives nearby by jogging to visit her. She estimates she saves £10 per week by not driving and not needing gym membership.

Joy and John first became concerned about climate change in the early 1980s after learning about the impact CFCs and aerosols had on the ozone layer.

They have passed these ideas on to their adult children Katie, 29, and Michael, 26, and the whole family regularly take part in beach clean-ups at their local seaside town with the national organisation, The Sea Shepherds.

“We’re proof you can live sustainably and save money,” said Joy. “I’m proud we’re doing our bit and that we’ve set that example to our children that even the small changes add up.”

CASE STUDY


EFFORTPeople see switching to sustainable living as something that will take up too much time or effort.

Asked why they haven’t done more for the environment, 12% are too busy, 9% aren’t interested. Others blame a lack of time. More than a fifth (21%) of 18 to 34 year olds are too busy to act more sustainably, compared with only 3% of over 55s.

‘Too much effort’ is also given as a reason for not switching to a renewable energy supplier, an activity that takes less than two minutes, and can save over 4 tonnes of CO2, on average, as well as hundreds of pounds a year.

Inertia is the biggest reason given for not switching to renewable energy. More than two fifths (41%) are not planning to switch to renewable energy, 11% think it’s ‘too much hassle’ and 8% think it’s ‘too complicated’.

WHY AREN’T YOU DOING MORE TO BE SUSTAINABLE?

ARE TOO BUSY TO TAKE ACTION

AREN’T INTERESTED IN TAKING ACTION

12% 9%

Too busy

Don’t want to

Doing all I can

Not interested


3%

3%

27%

11%

21%

11%

11%

11%NO PLANS TO SWITCH

TO A RENEWABLE ENERGY SUPPLIER

said it’s too complicated

said they didn’t know

how

said it was too much

hassle

8% 7%11%41%

OF YOUNG PEOPLE SAY THEY’RE TOO BUSY TO ACT MORE SUSTAINABLY

21%


It is a misconception that being more sustainable takes more effort. The growth

in smart technology has completely removed the barriers that made sustainable options harder or more time-consuming.

It now takes less than two minutes to switch to renewable energy – faster than it takes to boil a kettle. So it’s quick, easy and you’re helping to save the planet. It’s a double no-brainer. Renewables should be the default option, so when people choose their energy, they opt out rather than opt in.

STEVEN DAY

The first thing to do when we’re designing policies to try and influence people’s

behaviour to be greener, is to think about how we can tap into what people are already doing, so go with the grain of human behaviour and make it easier to do the things that we want people to do

DR ZAC BAYNHAM-HERD

A little more than 10 years ago, I spent a year not buying anything new, other than food and

medicine. It wasn’t that hard, but it was quite boring. A lot of exciting products came out that year and I didn’t buy any of them. More recently, my wife and I tried to do a week where we bought no plastic food containers, and we failed. We couldn’t eat if we did it. And then we went to our local shop where you can unpack what you buy; so if you buy tomatoes in a plastic box, you can take them out of the plastic box, put it back on the shelves and put it in your bag. We did that and it just was such a pain.

ROBERT LLEWELLYN

MAKE IT EASY GO WITH THE GRAIN

YOU HAVE THE

P WER TO TAKE ACTION


SACRIFICEWhile we know there is an appetite to get Britain to net zero – some of the most progressive initiatives and schemes to get us there sooner are failing to win the support of the nation.

The so-called ‘mile tax’ – a pay-per-mile policy of charging motorists based on the distance they travel rather than taxing fuel at the point of sale to bring down emissions – is only supported by 11% of the population. Only 17% would back a policy that would limit how often people can fly, just 14% want added fuel tax on diesel vehicles and less than one in four (24%) support pollution reduction zones near schools and hospitals.

Increased investment in renewable energy including building more wind and solar farms as well as a ban on all single-use plastics are the most popular – but even so, these are supported by no more than 40% of those surveyed, indicating the majority of people are reluctant to get on board with wide-scale changes in policy that might impact heavily on their personal lives.

DIESEL TAX 14% SUPPORT ADDITIONAL DIESEL TAX 14% SUPPORT

TO CARS 17% SUPPORT CLOSING SOME ROADS TO CARS 17% SUPPORT

17% SUPPORT A LIMIT ON FLIGHTS 17% SUPPORT A LIMIT ON FLIGHTS

POLICIES 10% DON’T SUPPORT ANY ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES

11% SUPPORT A MILE TAX 11% SUPPORT A MILE TAX 11%

YEAR ON YEAR MOST POPULAR SUSTAINABLE POLICIES WHICH POLICIES WOULD YOU SUPPORT?

2018

2019

2020

Increased renewables investment 38% 40% 40%

Ban on single use plastics 47% 45% 39%

Subsidised solar panels 35% 40% 35%

Onshore wind farms 31% 35% 33%

Pollution reducing zones near schools 26% 29% 24%

Additional diesel tax 10% 15% 14%


IN GRETA WE TRUSTWhen it comes to who we trust to drive change and reach a more sustainable future, people look towards industry, charities and NGOs just as much as they do the Government – 25% and 26% respectively.

Yet we have most faith in high-profile campaigners such as Sir David Attenborough and Greta Thunburg with 29% trusting them to lead us towards a greener world.

Increased investment in renewable energy including building more wind and solar farms as well as a ban on all single-use plastics are the most popular – but even so, these are supported by no more than 40% of those surveyed, indicating the majority of people are reluctant to get on board with wide-scale changes in policy that might impact heavily on their personal lives.

It has to be a societal effort and it cannot only be done by individuals

TRUST GOVERNMENT TO DELIVER CLIMATE CHANGE26%

Trust government to deliver climate change


24%30%

Leadership has to come from businesses, individuals and celebrities, too. But David Attenborough doesn’t have to

balance out the different interests of everybody in society like politicians do.

WERA HOBHOUSE

WHO CAN LEAD THE CHANGE

We as a business rely heavily on governments, not just to make policies and laws but also for infrastructure. There’s so much to be

done. I think it’s all about taking initiative as an individual or as a collective and creating some dynamic and saying: ‘This is the one thing I can do, this is what I can do and the sum of those parts is what will help’.SOPHIE PREISIG


UK adults would support the following sustainable policies:

Investment in renewable energy, big energy companies passing on savings to the customer, a ban on single-use plastics and subsidies for wind and solar farms make up the top five policies the public support.


The power of the green pound is growing.

Half of people (50%) are more likely to spend their money with a business that cares about sustainability now than they were a year ago. Among young people this figure rises to almost two thirds (64%).

Meanwhile, a compelling number believe that sustainability is fundamental in our economic fight back from Covid-19, with 80% agreeing it needs to be at the heart of our recovery.

WHO DO PEOPLE TRUST TO DRIVE THE CHANGE TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE?

GREEN SHOOTS OF RECOVERY


TECH BUSINESSES

GOVERNMENT

HOUSEHOLD BUSINESSES

ENERGY BUSINESSES

THE MEDIA DON’ T TRUST ANYBODY

CHARITIES/NGOS HIGH PROFILE CAMPAIGNERS

16%

26%

10%

25%

8% 25%

24% 29%As environmental challenges grow it will become very important for consumers how a product is made and if

you’re not acting sustainably now as a company, my belief is in five to 10 years time, you’re scuppered because nobody’s going to buy from you.

WILL BUTLER-ADAMS OBE

ARE MORE LIKELY TO SPEND THEIR MONEY WITH A BUSINESS THAT CARES ABOUT SUSTAINABILIT Y

OF PEOPLE OF YOUNG PEOPLE50% 64%


The older generation are already living more sustainably – they just don’t call it sustainability.

Older people appear to be doing more for everyday sustainability than the younger generation. Half of over 55s shop locally compared with a quarter of 18-34s, 49% prefer to buy fewer but longer-lasting clothes compared to 24% of younger people, and 43% of older respondents minimise single-use plastics compared with 21% of 18-34s.

But while their parents are showing sustainability in action, younger people have more ambitious intentions. Nearly two thirds (59%) are considering buying an electric car, compared with 38% of over 55s, and a quarter (25%) plan to move to a more eco-friendly house in the next 12 months, compared with just 3% of over 55s.

And when it comes to financial commitments, 5% of younger people have bought an electric car in the past 12 months compared with 1% of over 55s while 4% bought an electric bike compared with 2% of over 55s.

As the older generation we have to take responsibility for the world we have at our convenience. I drink water out of

a tap, but they drink water out of a plastic bottle. We haven’t taught them the behaviours we were taught. We can’t blame young people. Let’s look at ourselves and at the world we have created.

WERA HOBHOUSE

MILLENNIALS VS BOOMERSShop locally

Already shop seasonally

Buy fewer long-lasting clothes

Believe we all have a responsibility to try and prevent climate change

Considered buying an electric car

Minimise single-use plastics

Disagreed that individuals couldn’t make a difference to combat climate change

Planned to move to a more eco-friendly house in the next year

Already minimise car travel

Support a green recovery

Have more confidence in the individual activism versus state action


50%

35%

49%

80%

38%

43%

58%

3%

29%

75%

32%

25%

16%

24%

69%

59%

21%

35%

25%

22%

84%

39%



I was in tears, I thought ‘we just can’t go on like this’MELONY ROCQUE

CASE STUDY

Melony Rocque, a journalist from Brighton, has always believed in environmental sustainability. But after watching Sir David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II she was inspired to overhaul her life to become almost completely sustainable.

She said: “I was inspired by watching the scene in Blue Planet II where the Albatross feeds plastic to its chicks. “It was so upsetting to watch, I was in tears and I just thought ‘we can’t go on like this’. I decided to overhaul what I call ‘my lazy life’.” Now thanks to a series of changes, Melony has cut her annual carbon footprint by more than five tonnes per year.

Melony, 55, reduced food waste by changing her shopping habits and planning meals in advance. The average UK household wastes 68kg of food per year – generating almost half a tonne of CO2. She also reduced the amount of single use plastic by choosing loose fruit and veg from farm shops. At home she swapped household name cleaning brands for eco-cleaning fluids or natural products like vinegar, uses soap instead of shower gel and opts for washing powder in cardboard boxes instead of plastic bottles.

Melony and her family have also cut back to one meat dish per week bought from a local organic butcher and choose oat milk over dairy. A meat eater’s diet generates approximately 3.3 tonnes of CO2 per year while a vegetarian’s is just 1.7 tonnes. She said: “I go for better quality meat and less plastic. It’s a balance because I want to support farmers who care about high animal welfare. “It is a little more inconvenient but not as much as you would think.“I would never judge somebody for not doing this, I work full-time but my children are older and I know I would have struggled to do this when they were young.”

But one of the most significant savings was swapping her diesel Audi Q7 for a full electric VW Golf which she recharges at home using 100% renewable energy from Pure Planet. This has wiped out a further 3.5 tonnes of CO2. She said: “Switching to an EV was a real pleasure. In normal times I would love to take public transport more but I am reluctant to at the moment because of Covid.”


GENERATIONS WORKING TOGETHERIncreasing numbers of young people have moved in with their parents in the wake of the Coronavirus crisis. Dubbed the boomerang generation, this group is combining young ideals with their parents’ older habits to be more sustainable.

As we have seen, generations engage with sustainability differently. They have the ability to act quickly using tech solutions and shared knowledge gleaned from social media, but have less disposable income to make bigger purchase-related changes.

In contrast, their parents don’t appear to have the same level of knowledge, ideals or awareness around sustainable solutions, but they remain the ones holding the purse strings. The boomerang generation provides an opportunity to bring these two generations together for the first time in a watershed moment for sustainability, as tech know-how and personal finance come together, literally, under one roof.

2020 has created the opportunity for parents and adult children to pool knowledge and finance for the good of sustainability


Studies have shown that during moments of disruption we’re more likely to change our habits. That’s something

we can draw upon in the current Covid-19 crisis.

DR ZAC BAYNHAM-HERD


CASE STUDY

Maya Levy, 24 from Cambridgeshire, helped her parents switch to a more sustainable lifestyle when she moved back home after studying at University.

Since starting her studies, Maya made changes to be more sustainable, such as turning vegan and cutting out plastic.

Maya’s parents Shane and Gil, a property investor, took some convincing when she first moved home by cooking vegetarian and vegan meals to demonstrate how easy it was to make the switch away from meat. Within months her mum, and two sisters had both converted to vegan diets. Maya also began growing her own vegetables renovating the family’s disused greenhouse to begin growing beetroot, cucumber, tomatoes as well as planting winter root vegetables such as potatoes and parsnips in the garden.

She also influenced her family to be more sustainable by making more changes around the house, such as reducing the amount of plastic used and finding other alternatives.

“Before our food always used to be covered in clingfilm and used tinfoil but now we only have re-usable Tupperware. At first my parents weren’t on board with being more sustainable but now they are. Our bathrooms are now stocked with bar shampoo, conditioner and soap that’s all made in the UK which reducing air miles as well as being longer lasting and better for the environment.”

Maya is now planning for the family’s first ever completely sustainable Christmas. This year meat and dairy are off the menu from Christmas dinner.

They are also changing the way they wrap their presents by banning wrapping paper and excess waste. Instead gifts will be wrapped in brown paper, or placed inside delivery boxes wrapped in re-usable ribbon and re-purposed scarves bought from charity shops and eco-friendly masking tape.

“I’m proud of our sustainable Christmas plans and to know that everything on our plates on December 25 will have been grown by me and my sister. All of our presents will have no lasting impact on the environment and best of all, I know we won’t have any less fun.”

At first my parents weren’t on board with living more sustainably but now they areMAYA LEVY


GREEN IS GOAlmost one in three (32%) believes they have the ability to influence climate change.

The past 12 months have presented us with a once in a generation opportunity; lasting behavioural change can emerge from times of great disruption.

But we need to break down the barriers that are still stopping us from fully embracing change.

Our panel identified five recommendations that could help us overcome those hurdles; Education, making it easier, consumer power, working together and making sustainability the default option.

BELIEVE CLIMATE CHANGE IS THE ISSUE THEY ARE MOST ABLE TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON

32%


When we’re designing policies to influence behaviour to be greener, think about what’s driving behaviour. How can we tap into what people are

already doing and go with the grain of human behaviour and make it easier to do the things that we want people to do.DR ZAC BAYNHAM-HERD

We ran some trials, trying to get people to buy more greener appliances. We found that if you put the lifetime savings upfront, alongside the cost at

the point of purchase, people are more inclined to make that green purchase.DR ZAC BAYNHAM-HERD

If you buy an electric car it will cost you between 1p and 2p a mile. They’re much cheaper to run. It really is a noticeable difference.

ROBERT LLEWELLYN

People generally don’t realise how much power they hold over retailers. I would say to consumers who want to be more sustainable: use your power

to influence retailers. Pick and buy what is important to you. We do pay attention.SOPHIE PREISIG

The consumer is all powerful here, and the speed at which people can move their purchasing from one product to another has a massive impact

on business. WILL BUTLER-ADAMS OBE

It is important to remember that we are all human and we are all imperfect. But making things easier

would make a big difference: making the sustainable choice the default choice.

STEVEN DAY

With the example of plastic bags, we don’t like paying 5p every time so it changes the social norm.

The expectation now is that you take your bags with you. We’ve shifted the default setting. It’s like with other green behaviours the more we see other people doing it, and crucially other people that we identify with, the more we’re going to do it ourselves.

DR ZAC BAYNHAM-HERD

Moving away from fossil fuels altogether and all of that big infrastructure change is ultimately

something that has to be led by the government and, of course, we then end up all paying for it anyway through our taxes. It has to be a societal effort, and it cannot only be done by individuals.

WERA HOBHOUSE MP

EDUCATION: GREENER IS CHEAPER

MAKE GREEN CHANGES EASIER

GREENER CONSUMERS NEED GREENER BUSINESSES

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

MAKE GREEN, SUSTAINABLE CHOICES THE DEFAULT

WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER

© Copyright Pure Planet 2020 | Pure Planet Ltd (company no. 09735688) registered at The Square, Lower Bristol Road, Bath, BA2 3BH.

To cite this document and its data, please refer to: “Pure Planet People & Power Report 2020”

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