Released
May
31,
2010


CANADIAN
GREEN
GAP
INDEX

 The
main
objecAve
of
this
study
is
to
understand
the
“gap”
between

Canadians’
environmental
acAons
and
their
percepAons
of
being

environmentally
conscious.


 The
following
environmental
behaviours
were
examined:

1.  Fuel
conservaAon
and
lowering
of
emissions;

2.  Energy
conservaAon
in
the
home;

3.  Environmental
consciousness
when
it
comes
to
purchasing
consumer

goods;

4.  Recycling;


5.  Reusing
of
materials
to
reduce
waste;
and

6.  Food
and
household
goods

CANADIAN
GREEN
GAP
INDEX

 In
addiAon,
this
year’s
study
has
examined
consumers’
percepAons
of

Green
Leaders
in
a
number
of
retailer
categories:

 Car
manufacturers
or
dealers

 Grocery
stores

 Clothing
stores

 Coffee
shops

 Fast
food
restaurants

 Consumer
electronics

 Hotels

 Home
improvement
stores

OVERALL
INSIGHTS

 Older
Canadians,
namely
those
over
55,
consistently
demonstrate

acAons
that
are
more
environmentally
conscious.

Though
these
acAons

represent
a
smaller
gap
from
their
percepAons,
a
gap
sAll
remains

 Surprisingly,
the
younger
Canadian
demographic,
those
under
35,
are

taking
slightly
less
acAon,
but
admit
it
–
giving
them
the
smallest
Green

Gap.

This
is
partly
due
to
their
demographic
life
cycle
and
therefore


fewer
are
responsible
for
home
energy
bills
and
fuel
consumpAon

decisions
in
the
household.




 Canadians
as
a
whole
are
indicaAng
that
they
‘believe’
they
are

parAcipaAng
and
want
to
do
their
part
for
the
environment,
but
the

acAons
they’re
willing
to
take
have
only
minimal
impact
on
their
exisAng

behaviours
and
the
environment.


Canadians
Reuse
Products
but
Rarely
Buy
Used
Goods

 Canadians
May
Feel
They
are
Reusing
More

Frequently,
But
Their
AcAons
Have
Not
Changed

Average on Four Point Scale

Perceptions 2010 2009

I am doing my part in
helping to reuse goods 3.4 3.3
and reduce garbage I
generate
REUSE

 Though
‘reuse’
behaviours

are
demonstraAng
the
smallest
green
gap
of

12%
between
acAons
and
percepAon,
there
is
strong
indicaAon
that
this

gap
is
understated.

 72%
of
respondents
say
they
‘always’,
or
‘most
of
the
Ame’
use
a

reuseable
drinking
container
–
this
is
down
from
2009,
but
sAll

overstated.
Simply
observing
public
garbage
bins
or
the
line
up
at
your

local
coffee
shop
would
indicate
that
there
is
a
much
larger
green
gap.

 One
reason
for
such
incongruiAes
between
Canadians’
green
asserAons

and
acAons
could
be
that
Canadians
believe
that
by
simply
owning
a

reusable
drinking
cup
and
perhaps
using
it
once
or
twice
contributes
to

their
green
lifestyle.

 Many
Canadians
Take
Steps
To
Reduce
Home
Energy

Use
Rather
than
Look
for
AlternaAve
Methods


The home appliances I purchase are certified Energy Star and/or

a high-efficiency model
 Canadians
Have
Not
Changed
Their
Home
Energy

ConsumpAon
PracAces
or
PercepAons

Average
on
Four
Point
Scale


PercepAons
 2010
 200

9

I
am
doing
my
part

The home appliances I purchase are certified in
helping
to
use
 3.3
 3.3

Energy Star and/or a high efficiency model less
energy
for
my

home

ENERGY
CONSERVATION

 Though
the
green
gap
related
to
home
energy
use
is
not
the
widest

recorded,
an
18%
gap
remains
significant
given
the
conAnued
efforts
of

uAliAes
to
engage
the
public
on
energy
efficiency

 Canadians
have
greater
awareness
of
energy
efficiency
but
only

parAcipate
in
acAons
that
do
not
require
any
real
change
or
effort
in

their
exisAng
behaviours

 Canada
has
a
long
way
to
go
to
increase
Canadians
purchase
of
energy

efficient
products
and
make
energy
efficiency
enhancements
to
their

homes
as
only
half
of
Canadians
say
they
are
taking
the
acAon
most
of

the
Ame
or
all
of
the
Ame

 Ontarians
are
lagging
in
regulaAng
the
temperature
in
their
homes

 Women
over
35
feel
they
are
doing
more
to
save
energy
in
2010,
but

their
acAons
are
same
as
men
and
younger
Canadians

GREEN
LEADERSHIP
INSIGHTS

 Respondents
were
asked
to
name
a
green
leader
in
eight
sectors:

 AutomoAve,
Grocery,
Home
Electronics,
Home
Improvement,
Coffee
Shops,

Fast
Food,
Hotels,
Clothing
stores

 Overall,
a
strong
majority
of
Canadians
couldn’t
name
a
corporate
green

leader
or
don’t
believe
that
any
company
is
‘green’,
providing

opportuniAes
for
any
compeAtors

 The
only
category
where
Canadians
were
willing
to
demonstrate
a

significant
leadership
was
in
the
car
manufacturer/dealer
‐‐
naming

Toyota
(16%
of
respondents)
,
ciAng
hybrid
soluAons
and
fuel
efficient

opAons
as
the
reasons
why

 An
average
of
5%
felt
a
company
was
green
in
part
because
of
its

adverAsing
messages


 Highest
reasons
for
believing
a
company
was
green
linked
to
making
it

easier
for
consumers
to
act


14

Greenest
Car
Manufacturer


What
makes
Car
Company
Green

Offers
hybrids
 42%

First
to
produce
hybrids
 19%

Fuel
efficient
cars
 12%

Research
into
green
 10%

techniques

Low
emissions
 5%

Electric
cars
 5%

Home
Improvement
Green
Leadership


What
makes
Home
Improvement

Stores
Green

Offers
environmentally
friendly
products

33%

In‐store
green
iniNaNves

11%

Recycles
light
bulbs,
baPeries,
paint

10%

AdverNsing

7%

Offers
energy
saving
advice

5%

Responses Under 5% not included

16