58% of young people plan green resolution

Plenty of young people are willing to make lifestyle changes in 2008 for the good of the environment -- as long as the efforts are relatively easy, a consumer survey has found. 58 per cent of adults aged 24 or younger plan to make a "green" new year's resolution, according to US marketing firm Tiller.

Among all ages surveyed, 49 per cent said they would aim to be greener next year. Older respondents were less likely to set such goals, with half of those aged 50 to 64, and 40 per cent of people of retirement age, claiming they would change their habits for ecological reasons.

Some three-quarters of those polled plan either to reduce their use of energy at home or crack up recycling efforts. Two-thirds said they intend to use household products with fewer toxic chemicals. Among the least popular adjustments were toting reusable shopping bags to the grocery store, noted by 42 per cent of those polled.

Men were less likely to admit feeling badly about not doing enough for the planet. 26 per cent of men and 36 per cent of women described feeling "green guilt".

The survey was conducted by GfK Roper consumer research and reached 1,004 adults by telephone earlier this month.

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