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FILIPINOS are now regarded as among the more
environment-conscious citizens in the world according to
a new Voice of the People Survey conducted by
foreign-based think tank Gallup International in
celebration of International Earth Day 2008.
The
survey results showed that “virtually all” Filipinos and
citizens from the United Kingdom (UK),
Ireland,
Singapore and Colombia perform at least one action
regularly to protect the environment.
“Virtually all people declared they take at least one
action to protect the environment in the
UK,
the Philippines, Ireland, Singapore and Colombia.
“Conversely, the highest proportions of respondents that
declared they don’t implement any of the mentioned
measures are Russia, 40 percent; Bulgaria, 36 percent;
Argentina, 25 percent; Cameroon, 25 percent; Romania, 22
percent; and Turkey, 22 percent,” the survey stated.
Further,
the survey showed that in terms of specific actions,
around 95 percent of Filipinos surveyed said they try
con-serving energy at home. TheUK came second with 91
percent;
Ireland,
90 percent; Ecuador, Singapore; the United States, 88
percent; and Spain, 86 percent.
The
survey also showed that 90 percent or more of
respondents declared they recycle or create less waste
in Ireland with the highest percentage of 98 percent;
UK, 96 percent; Spain, 93 percent; Canada, 93 percent;
Singapore, 91 percent; Luxembourg, 91 percent;
Switzerland, 91 percent; Sweden, 91 percent; and the
Philippines, 90 percent.
The
survey also said that eight in 10 respondents said they
use less water. Singapore scored 86 percent; Ecuador, 86
percent; UK, 82 percent; Spain, 81 percent; the
Philippines, 80 percent; Colombia, 79 percent; Dominican
Republic, 79 percent; and Ghana, 78 percent.
Overall,
Gallup International said global warming is recognized
as a serious threat by a large majority of world
citizens. The survey showed that around two-thirds or 66
percent in the world perceive that impact in the area
where they live.
Moreover, the survey, which interviewed over 60,000
people in 57 countries last year, also shows that 85
percent of those surveyed declared they are taking
measures to protect the environment.
“Whereas
scientists and global organizations repeatedly alert
about the risks of global warming and images like the
large-scale melting of Antarctica’s ice are seen more
frequently, our Voice of the People survey suggests that
the message has been understood. World citizens perceive
the global warming as a real threat to their day-to-day
lives and are reacting to it. It is encouraging to find
out that an overwhelming majority is taking measures to
help protect the environment,” Gallup International
secretary general Meril James said in a statement.
Respondents in Asia Pacific (78 percent) and
Latin America (73 percent) showed the highest levels of concern
about the impact of global warming. This was followed by
Western Europe with 66 percent; six out of 10
respondents in North America with 62 percent; and
Eastern and
Central Europe, 59 percent; are concerned about global warming.
Nevertheless, the survey showed that in the United
States four out of 10 respondents do not perceive a
serious impact in the area where they live. This
represents 38 percent of respondents in the US.
In all
countries surveyed, the majority of respondents declared
that global warming is having a serious impact in the
area where they live, the exception being Iceland—where
those who disagree with this statement (59 percent) are
twice the numbers of those who agree (29).
“This
could be explained [by] the emphasis on the country’s
sustainable energy resources and clean air and water in
public discourse,” the survey showed.
When it
comes to saying that global warming has a serious impact
in their areas, the highest percentages are found in
Albania with 97 percent; Hong Kong, 93 percent; and
Romania, 91 percent.
However,
the largest proportions of citizens who do not perceive
a serious impact of this phenomenon are from Iceland
with 59 percent; Germany, 51 percent; Russia, 47
percent; Norway, 43 percent; UK, 41 percent; and US, 40
percent.
The
survey, however, stated that a lack of answers to
questions were more frequent in Senegal with 25 percent;
Nigeria, 25 percent; Ghana, 20 percent; and Poland, 20
percent.
Respondents were asked whether their household takes any
of six different possible actions aimed at protecting
the environment: 85 percent of surveyed citizens
declared they implement at least one of them.
The most
frequent actions are using less energy in the house, 62
percent; recycling or creating less waste, 61 percent;
and using less water, 54 percent.
Four in
10 respondents use less spray products or use spray
products that don’t affect the ozone with 40 percent,
while three among 10 surveyed use fewer batteries or
replace common batteries with rechargeable batteries and
use a car less or take public transport more frequently.
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