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More on Brazilian Attitudes About the Environment
By Keith R | July 12, 2007
Topics: Climate Change, Energy & the Environment, Environmental Protection, Personal Choices, Sustainable Transport, Waste & Recycling | 3 Comments »
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Recently Seattle-based Global Market Insite (GMI) kindly shared with me the results for Brazil of this year’s edition of their World Environment Review poll. The 2007 edition polled 14 countries (Brazil was the only Latin American nation) using GMI’s online data collection platform and global consumer panels. GMI says that the survey has a representative sample (1,024 in the case of Brazil) based on age, gender (example: 49% of the Brazilian respondents were female, 51% male), and where applicable, geographical region, race and ethnicity.
The results for Brazil are quite interesting. Some of these are:
- Climate change: 68% professed to be “very concerned” about climate change. When stated differently — “how personally concerned are you about the ‘greenhouse effect’ of global warming?” — 79% replied “a great deal.” When asked what actions they personally have undertaken to fight climate change
- 97% said that they switched off lights when leaving rooms,
- 91% that they have installed energy-saving light bulbs,
- 81% used cold water to wash their clothes,
- 63% have taken public transport in the prior two weeks,
- but only 44% have installed water-saving showerheads.
97% thought that the Brazilian Government should do more to tackle climate change.
- General: 78% said that they were “very concerned” about the future of the environment. 81% said that they are personally concerned about the pollution of lakes, rivers and reservoirs. 79% said that they are greatly concerned about the contamination of soils and rivers by toxic waste.
- Recycling: 69% said that they have recycled in the past four weeks. 99% claimed that they would recycle more if it was made easier for them.
- Energy: 81% opined that the Brazilian Government should make it easier for them to buy solar panels, while 79% said the same for electric or hybrid cars. 49% of Brazilian respondents thought that Brazil is still too reliant on foreign oil, and 54% agreed that Brazil is too dependent on non-renewable fossil fuels. 96% said that they thought the Brazilian Government should increase the use of solar power, 87% said the same for wind power. Only 11% wanted more nuclear power.
- Public Transportation: 93% said that the Government should do more to increase the use of public transportation, 96% believe that the Government should spend more money on public transportation.
- Plastic Bags: 74% thought that Brazil should ban plastic bags at check-out in supermarkets and stores.
The results concerning climate change are largely in line with other recent surveys of Brazilians on the same topic (prior posts here and there). The answers on recycling, switching off unused room lights and general concerns about pollution are not far off from those in PROCON-SP’s survey of consumer attitudes about sustainable consumption. The concern about fossil fuel dependence and support for public transportation and hybrid cars is not really surprising (not to me, at least).
The two findings that raised my eyebrows were on questions I have not seen in other recent Brazilian polls: the strong support for solar and wind energy and for a ban on plastic carry (shopping) bags. Retailers and energy and plastics investors interested in the Brazilian market (and NGOs campaigning on these issues), take note!
— Keith R
Tags: bombillas, Brasil, Brazil, calentamiento global, cambio climático, Climate Change, clothes washers, energía eólica, energy-saving bulbs, environment, fossil fuels, global warming, GMI, hybrids, lagos, lakes, medio ambiente, meio ambiente, mudanças climáticas, nuclear power, photovoltaics, plastic bags, public transport, reciclagem, reciclaje, recycling, reservoirs, residuos peligrosos, resíduos perigosos, residuos tóxicos, rios, rivers, showerheads, solar energy, solar panels, solar power, supermarkets, supermercados, toxic waste, wind energy, wind power
July 18th, 2007 at 9:42
hye mate scott here
some of the urban brasilians are really conscious about the state of environment and are quite keen to make improve it
July 21st, 2007 at 0:04
I liked your article howeverit is a bit misleading.On transportation a majority of Brasilians(corrrect spelling) already use it.True it needs to be updated .The plastic bags should disappear everywhere it is an eyesore and health hazard especially since moskitos bred in them As far as oil they pump90 percent of there own plus they have more flex vehicles than most nations have cars The use of wind farms and solar is a no brainer but since the banks control much of brasil and the world it is kept to a minimum.Unless you can do it yourself after getting through the red tape.I live in and love Brasil its people are great and there seem to have more freedom than the US
great post
July 21st, 2007 at 0:22
Scott & Todd, welcome to The Temas Blog and thanks for your comments.
Todd, I was not saying that Brazilians do not already use public transport extensively, nor that they are not nearly self-sufficient in oil. What I reported was their responses to survey questions on those issues. Frankly, I too was puzzled about the response on foreign oil, in the sense that the public perception does not match the reality. I however understand that the general public might want more focus and spending on public transportation, since so many rely on it (frankly so do I when I visit Brazil every year).
I too love Brasil and have since first visiting it for a few months in 1979. I have many friends there and get back there as often as possible, at least once a year. Wouldn’t mind living and working there, but so far, mas infelizmente, that has not been on offer (so far). De nascimento sou norteamericano, mas do coração, sou brasileiro.
I hope you visit and comment on the Blog again in the future.