lifestyle and ecology. how much do we bother actuaally? a nationwide survey report.

1. ECO-CONSCIOUSNESS AMONG INDIAN YOUTH
INgene Project survey
India
kaustavsengupta@yahoo.com
(all rights reserved)

2. The survey was conducted across the country covering 963 respondents (September to December 2008). The report is made on the
basis of primary data analysis.
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Eco-consciousness is a global trend now. The Indians & Inglodians love to perceive that they are either attached with some social
activity or with the eco-drive and concerned with global warming issues and save-tree movement.
INgene team did this survey covering 5 A1 cities (Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai & Hyderabad) at various colleges , schools ,
shopping malls to understand whether actually the consciousness about ecology is from the heart of the Indian youth or just a trend /
fashion statement as FAD.
What we found is described below:
 In our very first question we asked (rather bluntly) whether they are ECO CONSCIOUS or not and as expected everyone said
“YES”.
 The next question we asked how many steps they will walk to find a dustbin to drop the garbage and many of them was not
even ready to walk a shorter distance for a dustbin, they would rather prefer littering around instead of walking for it!

3. 10 steps: 10%
20 steps: 25%
long: 10%
somebody will
clear, not me:
55%

4. Most of the respondents would like to go to a mall or movie theater instead of botanical garden or eco-park or where eco awareness
show (even if it’s free) is taken place !..”uhh so boring u know…why to dump my weekend”
SHOPPING
MALL: 80%
BOTANICAL
GARDEN: 20%

5. MOVIE: 70%
GLOBAL
WARMING
SHOW: 30%
 When we asked them about eco friendly products, the funniest answer we got was “dustbin”! It depicts that the youth are not
even aware of the eco friendly products. Most of them could not write more then a “recycled paper” as eco friendly…

6. PAPER
PRODUCTS:
25%
FABRIC: 10%
NOTHING: 15%
Dustbin: 50%
 And when it comes to switching off fan and light then we hardly found people who do this always!
ALWAYS: 20%
SOMETIME: 75%
NEVER: 5%
 Surprising fact came over that out of all we found only eleven young Indians who wrote the correct definition or true meaning
of GLOBAL WARMING.

7.  When we asked them about any active website, magazine or any journals which make people learn about global warming and
related facts, they can hardly name some.
 Maximum people wrote, google search, Discovery channel, National geographic ! only few people wrote about specific
reading or awareness materials…
 Yes, it was great to hear from people that they are ready to compromise on bursting crackers (during Dipavali or other festive)
for helping this cause and moreover, some have already left this earlier….though we don’t know if its for the consciousness of
global warming or for the thought that this is a wastage of money…
YES: 60%
NO: 30%
ALREADY LEFT:
10%
During the survey we got a few interesting testimonies:
“Me alone, I cannot change anything, why should I then change my personal behavior?”
“I respect the laws, I don't do anything illegal. I am not against your saving energy, but leave me in peace with your ideas.”
“My energy requirement is modest. I won't change before the big polluters have changed their behavior.”
As I have earlier predicted, eco consciousness is becoming “trendy” (though superficial) among Indian youth. I called it eco-trendy.
Good to show-off…but it will take a few more years (check my prediction) to go deep to the core of the heart of Indian youth until and
unless the “need” becomes evident in this society.

8. Thanks
kaustavsengupta@yahoo.com
Kaustav SenGupta
Associate Professor & IDC
National Institute of Fashion Technology
India
Founder moderator of : http://ingene.blogspot.com (First ever Indian youth trend research blog)