by Three out of five Americans are as concerned with saving the environment as they are with saving money, new research suggests. As part of a recent survey of the sustainability habits of 2,000 US residents, 64% of respondents said they care about the health of the planet and their wallet in equal measure. And 66% said they were “willing to try anything that would help save the environment” – although, of course, some habits have proven far more popular than others. For 75% of respondents, it is as easy as turning off the lights when leaving a room. Similarly, 66% make sure to turn off the water whenever possible and 63% choose to shower rather than bathe. Given the choice, however, they are much more likely to prefer showers shorter than ten minutes (60%) over those with colder water (25%). Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Bosch, the survey suggests that being sustainable at home needs to go beyond just turning off the lights or taking showers faster. When asked which room in their home is the most sustainable, a quarter of respondents said it was their kitchen (26). To make their kitchens as energy efficient as possible, respondents said it is best to follow sustainable practices such as recycling (60%), using reusable water bottles (46%), using of energy-efficient kitchen appliances (43%), the use of biodegradable bags for food storage (34%) and the use of a high-efficiency dishwasher instead of hand washing dishes (31%) . “People would be really surprised if they knew how much energy their homes use,” said Cara Acker, senior brand manager at Bosch. “Even if people turn off the thermostat or the lights, there are still things in the home like appliances that need constant electricity to function. That’s why it’s so important, both to your bill and to the environment, to buy ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances.” The survey also found that 54 percent of Americans have had their sustainability habits impacted by inflation. Inflation led people to spend more on food (69%), utilities (65%) and green household items (54%).Inflation also resulted in a 59% greater likelihood of buying rated appliances ENERGY STAR ratings that are more energy efficient than alternatives, suggesting that people want to get more bang for their buck.Inflation has also been found to impact the grocery shopping habits of 75% of Americans As a result, 41% buy more frozen foods than fresh foods in an effort to buy things that last longer.39% don’t currently monitor their home’s energy usage, and those who do rely on their meter readings ( 25%) rather than getting information from your energy supplier or smartphone apps. Nearly two in three (63%) said they would consider investing more money upfront in improving the sustainability of their home if it saves them money in the future. This long-term investment in sustainability improvements was further demonstrated when 30% admitted that being sustainable is more expensive up front, while 32% found it less expensive in the long run. “People tend to think that sustainable appliances are too expensive and prohibitively expensive,” Acker continued. “But actually, it’s the other way around. Sustainable and energy efficient home appliances are one of the best and hidden ways to save money in the long run. Investing in an appliance with features that help keep food fresher for longer means less money wasted on food. You also get something that uses electricity efficiently, which means less money wasted on excessive energy use. In the end it’s a win for saving money. TOP 8 MOST SUSTAINABLE ROOMS 1. Kitchen – 26% 2. Bedroom – 21% 3. Living room – 15% 4. Bathroom – 14% 5. Basement – 5% 6. Garage – 5% 7. Laundry room – 5% 8 Attic – 5% Survey Methodology: This random double-opt-in survey of 1,500 general population Americans and 500 Hispanic respondents was commissioned by Bosch between September 21-26, 2022. It was conducted by market research firm OnePoll , whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and are corporate members of the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).
