UK – Recycling at home more popular than at work

A new survey shows a big difference in people’s support for the environment while at home – compared to the time they spend at work. 80 per cent of those questioned in a YouGov poll for KPMG said they regularly recycle waste and other items at home. But when they get to work, that figure drops substantially, and energy saving and other environmentally friendly practices seem to get forgotten.



Only 32 per cent of respondents said they regularly recycle at work, compared to 80 per cent at home 50 per cent of those who work said their employers have introduced environmental initiatives, but a third did not have access to a scheme at work.



KPMG’s Mike Kelly, director of corporate social responsibility, said: “Individuals can make a real difference at work – just by taking the stairs rather than using the lift saves enough energy to power a light bulb for 200 days. And a PC monitor left on overnight wastes energy equivalent to laser printing a copy of ‘War and Peace’.”



The survey coincides with the UN’s World Environment Day on June 5th and found that:



60 per cent of people think the Government is responsible for looking after the environment, ahead of individuals (27 per cent) and business (7 per cent) 38 per cent believe pollution is the most important environmental issue, followed by global warming (26 per cent), waste/landfill/recycling (24 per cent) and conservation (8 per cent) 40 per cent of those who don’t try to be ‘environmentally-friendly’ claim this is because of a lack of information and facilities