WOULD BRITS GO THE LENGTH OF THE EARTH FOR OUR PLANET?

Survey reveals the lengths Brits will go to stop climate change

It’s 2022 and the nation is making new year pledges that will reduce their carbon footprint and will help them to be kinder to the planet.

New research published this week reveals how far Britons – especially young adults – are now prepared to go to reach zero carbon targets and care for the environment.

The UK’s leading organic brand, Yeo Valley Organic, conducted the research and found that a third of Brits are now prepared to turn their back on all foreign travel (34 per cent). And one in six young adults (17 per cent) insist they would abandon plans to have children if it was guaranteed to save the planet.

The study of 2,000 adults showed the things Brits say they’d give up completely in order to save the planet, with 41 per cent agreeing to restrict themselves to just food from the British Isles. One in ten adults in the UK, and one in five millennials, say they will happily eat burgers made from locusts instead of beef. In addition, nearly a quarter would eat no more chocolate (22 per cent) and 25 per cent would wave goodbye to coffee to prevent global warming.

“It’s incredible to see the lengths people are prepared to go to save the planet, but it doesn’t have to be as drastic as giving up having children! Making changes to our individual lifestyles can be one of the most effective ways to slow down the impact of climate change. Yet smaller lifestyle alterations are more feasible to sustain and do make a big difference in the long run,” explains Adrian Carne at Yeo Valley Organic.

“Swapping items in your weekly shop for organic, regeneratively farmed produce, or at least British grown, means you can enjoy the same lifestyle while reducing your carbon footprint. These are the changes that you can commit to for a long time, so that we’re not focusing on sustaining the planet but actively making choices which are helping to regenerate the plant and improve it for future generations.”

The research found that one in five would be prepared to have just a single bath of shower a week if it definitely made a difference and one in eight (12 per cent) would give up their central heating completely.

Almost as many – 20 per cent – would quit using a smartphone forever, rising to 34 per cent of 35 to 44 year olds.

It is a sentiment that clearly rings true with eco-minded Brits with one in three saying they would stop buying new clothes and simply wear recycled and second-hand clothing.

Almost a quarter of 25 to 34 year olds say they intend to swap their car for a bicycle to help stop climate change (22 per cent) and 40% say their next car will be all electric (33% Brits, 49% 35-44)

Carne continues: “It’s a great time to think about how you can make small changes to do your bit to help the planet. Whether vowing to walk more, drive less or grow more of your own fruit and veg, it all builds up to a greater good. If you’re looking for inspiration on the small changes that can be made to reduce your carbon footprint and simple and easy-to-implement long-term changes, then sign up to our Yeo Valley Organic free virtual event with tips and shopping hacks from some experts”

Sign up to Yeo Valley Organic’s Start 22 Sustainably free online event, live at 1pm on Tuesday 18th January with panelists; Lizzie Rivera, journalist and founder of ethical lifestyle community Live Frankly; Lucy Williamson, award winning nutritionist with a passion for gut health and real food; Kalkidan Legesse, ethical and sustainable retail champion and founder of Shwap and Tom White, Yeo Valley’s very own soil health and regenerative farming expert.

Register for your free place on Eventbrite here. The first 50 sign ups will receive a free Yeo Valley Cookbook.

Top 10 things Brits would give up to help the planet:
• Avocados (42%)
• All imported food (41%)
• Travelling abroad (34%)
• New clothes (29%)
• Exotic fruit like bananas, mango and coconut (27%)
• Coffee (25%) (37% 18-24)
• All wine, beer and other alcohol made/brewed outside the UK (24%) (34% 18-24)
• Mowing the lawn to encourage biodiversity (23%)
• Chocolate (22%) (28% 18-24)
• Smart phone (20%)