Zipcar finds London men ‘unconcerned about environment’

Men in the city care less about the environment compared to their female counterparts according to a survey of 500 Londoners.

YouGov conducted the survey on behalf of Zipcar and found that four times as many men than women were ‘unconcerned about protecting the environment’.

Gloria Moss, research fellow at the University of Glamorgan, has a theory to support the sweeping finding: ‘There is a cross-cultural research that shows men may act in a more individualistic way than women, and women with a greater eye for the collective good. Following from this asking people to take action for the greater good of mankind, rather than for the good of the individual, may have more appeal to women than men.’

If you’re not convinced by that, consider whether you think (male dominated) businesses and governments are doing enough to reduce global warming. Paul McLoughlin, Zipcar’s general manager, has observed that this commonly held view, ‘indicates possible further evidence of a connection between gender roles and the ineffectiveness at making large environmental changes’.

The research also highlighted that nearly one in five Londoners are not taking any steps to protect the environment. McLoughlin believes that: ‘Londoners want to do more to protect the environment, but they don’t necessarily want to compromise their lifestyle.’

Zipcar’s car club is one way where changes can be made without compromising on convenience lives.