Is there a link between age and environmental concern?

Question

What have you noticed?

If you can please tell me what age the person (you don't have to say it is you) was via these catagories at the time:

A) under 16

B) 16 - 19

C) 20 - 29

D) 30 - 59

E) 60 - 74

F) 75 and over

Answer 1

Well when you get very old ,

you worry if there will still be

a clean piece of ground left to bury you in

Apart from that old people are more concerned because they realize what the implications are ,and they know more

or at least they should

but in practice that does not seem to hold out

Answer 2

Is there a link between age and environmental concern: No

People who are concerned about the environment are always concerned about it. They are more vocal at certain ages but just as concerned at otheres.

Most people will never be able to comprehend the amount of trash that is dumped by people. Nor the impact on the environment by our actions. Still as the younger become aware of the actions it carries thoughout their lives, Those who are concerned with thier own actions are concerned about the environment, those who travel though life self centered and deaf and dumb to the problem will continue to be a contributing influence in the polution problems.

Answer 3

there probably is a small link, with younger people being more active/idealistic but older people are in more of a position to do concrete things to change their lifestyle. i think wealth and politics probably correlate better.

Answer 4

I've noticed that different age groups have very different environmental concerns.  

My husbands dear parents are in their 70's (age group E on your chart).  His Dad was a wee child at the end of the Great Depression.  

With my In-Laws generation I've noticed they have the mentality of throw nothing that might be useful away, patch and repair, re-use, re-use, re-use!  Dear Father-in-Law is the REAL MacGyver!  He can keep a 1920's tracter running with a rubber band, and a wad a chewing gum.  When they built their 3600 sq ft home themselves in the 1970's, they paid it off it two years, they are such a thrifty couple!  

Yet they were the generation that was going to be saved by chemicals, and control the weather, the soil, the plants, the insects, and mother nature by the use of chemicals.  They think nothing of spraying weed killer, and using chemical fertilizers.  But their work clothes have patches on top of patches, on top of patches...more patches than the original garment.

My generation (I'm in my 40's, age group D on you chart) thinks nothing of tossing things away.  You can always replace it with another cheap widget, or gidget from WalMart.  But for heaven sakes, DON'T use anything toxic on the soil!  Pass me a bottled water while your applying that 100% organic mulch, will ya?

My Mom's  generation (she's in her 50's, age group D, same as me!) grew up in the 50's & 60's.  They were going to have it all!  Big house, big car, big family, jobs for all, even women!  They could buy it all, and often did.  I think the first gas chrunch was a HUGE eye opener to that generation.  Many of them "returned to the land," and learned to grow a garden, and be more frugal.  Many of them also stopped after the gas crunch ended.They are the generation that brought about Green Peace, and other organizations like that.

Every generations has it's faults and it's good points.  I try to learn from them all, and pick what is best.

My farm clothes have patches on the patches.  We are a permaculture farm, and use NO chemicals.  We provide habitat for endangered animals on our farm.   We do the best we can, and try to be as kind to the earth as possible.  We hope for a bright future, but we prepare for one that might not be.

~Garnet

Homesteading/Farming over 20 years

Answer 5

I'd say that the people in categories B and C are probably the most concerned.  Younger people.  Maybe D as well.  A is probably too young.  I'm that young, and not many of my peers care that much.

Answer 6

Hi there,

In the 60's the environmental movement took off alongside side other major movements for political change such as feminism and equal rights. The relative economic prosperity of post war period in the West gave people the chance to rethink their lot at home.

This was also a period of rapidly expanding technological change, partly boosted by initial War econonomic research into engineering, chemicals and medicines. We began however, through Rachel Carson (the author of silent spring) and other scientists to realise that there was a price being  paid  for the ease our artificial fertilizers, pesticides and other modern approaches lent to us being fed and our population growth.

People who are socially and politically aware, born from mid 1900's onwards have become increasingly concerned about the impacts that humanity has upon the environment.

We realise today that there has been a correlation between increased human expansion and innovation and decreasing environmental stability as we erode scarce resources and tip fragile balances to breaking point.

In these days of "Climate Change" awareness amongst all age groups has been heightened as scientific evidence now shows that we live on the brink of a man-made catastrophe. To avert this requires a radical rethink of the way we live for every individual on the planet but the time is running out and too many are not willing to play their part.

At 40 years old I recieved my environmental awareness from others as a youngster. I now talk to groups of young people, youth parliaments etc and groups from the Womens institute and university of the third age (who are generally over 60).

Environmental concern in the UK at least is something which thankfully unites people regardless of their age, colour, s*x or class. Maybe that is our greatest hope for the future.