This publication is categorised as a CSO Frontier Series Output. Particular care must be taken when interpreting the statistics in this release as it may use new methods which are under development and/or data sources which may be incomplete, for example new administrative data sources.
The results contained in this release reflect some of the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 situation. For further information see Background Notes.
The first publication released on 30 May 2022 showed that just over half (51%) of the respondents said they could do more to protect the environment. Almost 40% reported that they do as much as can, while just 7% said they already do a lot. See Table 3.1.a. For further details, refer to the first publication 'Pulse Survey April-May 2022 - Our Lives Outdoors: Snapshot of Results'.
Male respondents were more likely to say that they could do more to protect the environment (54%) compared with females (48%). However, they were less likely to say they do as much as they can at 35%, compared with female respondents at 43%. See Figure 3.1 and Table 3.1.b.
| Outdoor space | Don't know / Prefer not to say / Not stated | I don't have to act | I already do a lot | I do as much as I can | I could do more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 2 | 1 | 7 | 43 | 48 |
| Male | 1 | 1 | 8 | 35 | 54 |
Participants in the age groups under 55 were more likely to say that they could do more to protect the environment (about six in ten) compared with older respondents aged 70 and over (one in three). Older people were more likely to say that they do as much as they can with about six in ten people aged 70 and above, compared with around three in ten respondents in the age groups under 55. See Figure 3.2 and Table 3.1.b.
| Outdoor space | Don't know / Prefer not to say / Not stated | I don't have to act | I already do a lot | I do as much as I can | I could do more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 to 34 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 34 | 56 |
| 35 to 44 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 30 | 62 |
| 45 to 54 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 32 | 57 |
| 55 to 69 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 47 | 43 |
| 70 and above | 2 | 1 | 8 | 59 | 30 |
Almost six in ten of the respondents in employment (59%) and students or pupils (56%) said they could do more to protect the environment. Just under five in ten of those engaged in home duties (48%) agreed with this statement compared with four in ten who were unemployed (42%) and one in three who were retired (32%). About six in ten participants in retirement (58%) and almost half of those unemployed (48%) said they do as much as they can. See Table 3.1.b.
Respondents with children in their household were more likely to say that they could do more to protect the environment (60%) compared with those who didn't have children in their household (48%). See Figure 3.3 and Table 3.1.c.
| Outdoor space | Don't know / Prefer not to say / Not stated | I don't have to act | I already do a lot | I do as much as I can | I could do more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children in the household | 1 | 1 | 7 | 30 | 60 |
| No children in the household | 1 | 1 | 7 | 42 | 48 |
Respondents with access to a garden were more likely to say that they could do more to protect the environment (52%), compared with 42% of those who did not have access to a garden. See Table 3.1.c.
Just over half of those who said there was still time to act and improve the state of the environment (53%) and of those who said there was still time to act but it was unlikely to happen (52%) reported that they could do more to protect the environment. See Table 3.1.c.
Almost half of the participants (49%) stated that they would do more to protect the environment if they felt like their actions really made a difference. Acquiring more knowledge (36%) and having more clarity on what environmentally-friendly actions are (33%) would also play an important role in increasing their personal involvement in the protection of the environment. See Table 3.2.a. For further details refer to the first publication 'Pulse Survey April-May 2022 - Our Lives Outdoors: Snapshot of Results'.
About six in ten of the respondents aged 18 to 34 (59%) and just over a half of those between 35 and 44 (54%) said they would do more to protect the environment if they felt that their actions really made a difference, compared with about four in ten of those aged 45 to 69 (43%). The main factor that would encourage participants aged 70 and over to do more about environment was more clarity on what environmentally-friendly actions are (42%). See Figure 3.4 and Table 3.2.b.
| Outdoor space | If I felt like my actions really made a difference | If I could acquire the knowledge that would allow me to do more | If there was more clarity on what environmentally-friendly actions are | If I had more time available to me |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 to 34 | 59 | 30 | 33 | 35 |
| 35 to 44 | 54 | 33 | 36 | 37 |
| 45 to 54 | 43 | 36 | 33 | 32 |
| 55 to 69 | 43 | 34 | 36 | 17 |
| 70 and above | 39 | 36 | 42 | 9 |
The highest proportion of people who said they would do more to protect the environment if they felt like their actions really made a difference were students or pupils (65%) followed by those in employment (51%), those who were unable to work due to longstanding health problems (48%), the unemployed (47%) and those engaged in home duties (46%). Retired participants said they would do more to protect the environment if there was more clarity on what environmentally-friendly actions are (40%) or if they felt their actions really made a difference (39%). More than a third of those in employment (36%) and students or pupils (34%) also reported that more time available to them would encourage them to do more. See Figure 3.5 and Table 3.2.b.
| Outdoor space | If I felt like my actions really made a difference | If I could acquire the knowledge that would allow me to do more | If there was more clarity on what environmentally-friendly actions are | If I had more time available to me |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Working for payment | 51 | 34 | 35 | 36 |
| Unemployed | 47 | 25 | 36 | 16 |
| Retired | 39 | 36 | 40 | 7 |
| Student or pupil | 65 | 27 | 30 | 34 |
| Engaged in home duties | 46 | 37 | 38 | 21 |
| Unable to work due to longstanding health problems | 48 | 35 | 36 | 7 |
About four in ten (38%) respondents with children in the household said that having more time available to them would encourage them to do more to protect the environment, compared with just over two in ten (23%) without children in their household. See Table 3.2.c.
Participants who thought that there was still time to act and improve the state of the environment would consider doing more about the environment for three main reasons: if they felt their actions really made a difference (40%), if there was more clarity on what environmentally-friendly actions are (39%), and if they could acquire more knowledge (38%). Almost 60% of respondents who thought there was still time to act but it was unlikely to happen would consider doing more if they felt their actions really made a difference. See Figure 3.6 and Table 3.2.c.
| Outdoor space | If I felt like my actions really made a difference | If I could acquire the knowledge that would allow me to do more | If there was more clarity on what environmentally-friendly actions are | If I had more time available to me |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| There is still time to act and improve the state of the environment | 40 | 38 | 39 | 29 |
| There is still time to act but it is unlikely to happen | 58 | 31 | 34 | 28 |
Respondents who said that they already do a lot to protect the environment would consider doing more for two main reasons: if they felt their actions really made a difference (37%) or if they had more time available to them (35%). About half of participants who said they could to more to protect the environment (54%) or do as much as they can (46%) would do more to protect the environment if they felt their actions really made a difference. About four in ten of the same participants also reported that more clarity on what environmentally-friendly actions are would encourage them to do more. See Table 3.2.c.
Learn about our data and confidentiality safeguards, and the steps we take to produce statistics that can be trusted by all.