Survey: Most Israelis care about the environment

98% observe some green practices such as bottle and paper recycling - 42% and 27%, respectively.

By EHUD ZION WALDOKS
According to a survey conducted for the Environmental Protection Ministry ahead of Earth Day, which falls on Thursday, 98 percent of the public take some action to protect the environment.
The most popular method was recycling bottles (42%). Keeping open spaces clean (38%) and recycling paper and newspaper (27%) were also popular. Recycling was very popular in the country’s center and in Jerusalem, but many people also conserved water or electricity, or have stopped using plastic bags.
In line with ministry plans, 93% said they would also be willing to separate their garbage into “wet” and “dry” streams. The ministry is pushing a revolution in waste treatment at all levels.
While 95% of the public thinks protecting the environment is important, in general it was considered more of a priority by women, those over 45, or those with a post-high school education.
Environmentally-friendly consumer products were also becoming morepopular, with 91% saying they would give them a middling or highpreference. Those over 45 were especially likely to favor them.However, 65% of those who did not buy them said the higher price was adisincentive. Thirty percent said the packaging wasn’t clear and 10%said they didn’t believe the companies who made the products.
Thirty-three percent of respondents said their kids had influenced themto protect the environment, with 13% citing friends as the reason.Eighty-two percent of people said they received their information fromTV programs or news articles about environmental topics.
The study was conducted in the first week of April byShiluvMillwardBrown among a representative sample of 500Hebrew-speaking Jews over the age of 18. No margin of error was given.


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