A recent study of 5,005 UK adults has shown that the cost-of-living and energy crisis is reshaping the public’s approach to sustainability and climate change. The action most likely to be ranked in the top three ways people think they should take to reduce their personal carbon emissions is to ‘use less energy at home’ (30%), ahead of recycling correctly (29%), reducing food waste (26%), or driving an electric vehicle (17%).
Energy-saving light bulbs are the first step that most people have already taken to cut domestic energy use – two-thirds (66%) have installed them. However, other energy-saving measures are also gaining popularity. Around a third (34%) have installed additional cavity wall/loft insulation, while 30% have replaced their white goods and appliances with more energy-efficient models, such as those with an A-rated energy label.
Many UK consumers appear prepared to invest more to keep their energy bills down, which would also reduce CO2 emissions. Almost half (46%) would consider installing triple glazing, a similar number (44%) would consider solar panels for their homes, and more than a third (37%) would consider replacing their gas boiler with an air or ground source heat pump.
The findings come from the latest Sustainability Segmentation 2022 report from market research company Savanta, which analyzed the views on climate change and sustainability of 5,005 UK consumers. The report also found that a third of respondents (35%) have family or friends who have installed additional cavity wall/loft insulation, a quarter (25%) know someone who’s put in solar panels, and one in ten (10%) have a friend or family member who’s installed a heat pump.
Nick Baker, Chief Research Officer at Savanta, said that the behavioral change has little to do with eco-thinking or government education programs. Rather, the sharply-rising cost of energy is forcing people to accelerate carbon cutting out of necessity, rather than virtue. Consumers are looking at ways they can save money on the back of the cost-of-living crisis. While the need to reduce domestic energy bills may be the driver, the outcome will be a net reduction in domestic CO2 emissions.