Millennials are going to save the world.
And here’s why...
When we say millennials are real-life superheroes on a mission to save the world one day at a time, we’re not joking.
You may not find them prancing around the streets in leotards and capes or shooting spider-webs from their wrists. And you definitely won’t catch them driving a Batmobile, but they are determined to fix the multiple problems older generations have foisted onto them and to finally set the world to rights.
Yes, we mean it. These lovable avocado-toast-eaters have a lot we can all learn from when it comes to protecting our planet.
Want the proof? We’ve got it for you – thanks to our CBR experts who have conducted in-depth research to gather data from across a range of studies and sources. Take a look at the findings to see just how this generation is making big, positive changes to our world.
You might want to take notes...
Millennials are choosing fur babies over real babies
When the annual cost of owning a dog can be as cheap as £445, you begin to see why so many millennials are opting to keep pets rather than to raise a child, which can cost an eye-watering £185,000 over 18 years.
But there are environmental reasons behind their choices, as well as financial. Having a child can be the single most carbon-intensive decision a person makes in their entire lifetime.
From the food we eat to the way we travel, from the clothes we wear to the energy we use – it all places a heavy burden on our already resource-poor planet.
And by choosing babies over fur babies, the case could be made that we’re using up even more of the limited resources available to us.
But millennials are starting to question and even forgo the 2.4 kids per household, which has long been the status quo.
The Facts
- Millennial and Gen Z (yes, we see you zoomers!) household owners account for 62% of pet ownership, significantly higher than the 32% held by baby boomers.
- The average-sized dog leaves a carbon footprint equivalent to around 770 kg of CO2 per year. Whereas a child in the ‘developed world’ leaves a whopping 58.6 metric tonne carbon footprint per year.
- According to a recent American poll, a third of people aged 20 to 45 say climate change was a factor in their decision to have fewer children.
Millennials are choosing staycations over vacations
Once upon a time, people would boast about the number of air miles they had racked up in a year. But amongst the millennial population, that pride has been replaced by ‘flight shame’.
And millennials aren’t only troubled by the devastating effects that aviation CO2 emissions have on our planet. They’re also concerned with the ethical repercussions that traditional tourism has on local communities in destination countries.
Whilst this generation has just as many travel aspirations as those before them – possibly even more, given the astronomical rise of social media during their lifetime – they are different in that they’re determined to travel sustainably and with a clear conscience.
There may still be a long way to go until we achieve carbon-neutral travel. But with millennials demanding more sustainable options, travel companies are seeing the benefits in going eco.
From eco-tourism to staycations to alternative transport methods, this generation is setting the new standard of responsible travel.
The Facts
- Sustainability is a factor for 77% of 18 to 29-year-old people when making travel decisions. By comparison, only 48% of people over the age of 51 say this impacts their decision to travel.
- 48% of British millennials say they plan on taking staycations in the future, rather than travelling abroad.
- The aviation industry alone accounts for 2% of all man-made CO2 emissions.
Millennials are choosing plant- based over meat
Flexitarian, vegetarian, vegan – speak to any millennial for a length of time and you’re sure to hear at least one of these terms crop up in conversation.
Where previous generations might have scoffed at these ‘hippy-dippy’ notions, millennials take their plant-based diets very seriously.
Whether it’s to improve their health, increase their level of fitness or eat more sustainably, this generation has made going meat-free cool.
And it seems scientists would agree. For years now, climate experts have warned us how livestock rearing has contributed massively to global warming and even deforestation. But it’s only in recent years that a whole generation has decided enough is enough! It’s time to put the planet first.
Forget your standard comic-book villains – millennials have clocked the real enemy as climate change and they’re fighting it with pulled jackfruit tacos and roasted cauliflower steaks.
The Facts
- One in five millennials has changed their diet to reduce their impact on the planet.
- Millennials are more open to plant-based diets than other generations, with 54% identifying as flexitarian.
- Following a meat and dairy-free diet can reduce your food carbon footprint by up to 73%.
- Over half of all greenhouse gas emissions from food are generated by animal products, such as meat and dairy.
Millennials are choosing bikes
“On your bike” takes on a whole new meaning for millennials who are turning down cars in favour of environmentally friendly bicycles.
And as the demand for bikes rises, the need for more bike-friendly urban spaces becomes greater.
Where cars once dominated central city locations, authorities are starting to prioritise and invest in better cycle lane infrastructure. London, for example, has seen 260km of new cycle routes added since 2016.
Thanks to their love of bicycles, millennials are paving the way towards a healthier, greener, more sustainable urban lifestyle for everyone. And if that’s not a superpower, we don’t know what is!
The Facts
- Millennials drive almost 2,000 miles less than baby boomers and own 0.4 fewer vehicles than them, too.
- 46% of people aged 18-34 think prioritising cyclists in cities is important, compared to just 24% of people aged +55.
- Cycle lanes can move up to 6,500 people per hour compared to just 700-1,100 people in cars, drastically reducing congestion.
- Riding a bike can reduce carbon emissions by 30 times compared to driving a car.
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