Survey Finds Environmental Awareness Heightened Before G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit

Beat Communication Co., a Japanese company that provides businesses with information technology solutions to tackle environmental issues, a service it calls Eco Style, conducted a survey from June 20 to 26, 2008, just ahead of the G8 Toyako Summit, to gauge people's attitudes about environmental issues. Valid responses were given by 2,214 persons.

According to the survey results, which were released in July, respondents said that corporate environmental initiatives have become common among more than 50 percent of companies. When asked about corporate efforts on environmental issues, 24.7 percent of respondents said that initiatives have been done throughout the company, while 25.3 percent said that efforts to address ecological issues are underway in a part of corporate activities.

In regard to their own concerns about environmental problems, respondents showed a high interest in environment-friendly products, as more than 70 percent of them said they were personally interested in that type of product. When asked if they were motivated to participate in future ecological activities, more than 80 percent of respondents said yes. Regarding their daily efforts to save energy at home, more than 50 percent said that they were into relatively easy energy saving efforts, such as setting air conditioners and heating units at moderate temperatures, turning off lights when not needed, and bringing their own bags with them when shopping.

Beat Communication's analysis showed that both people's awareness of environmental issues and their willingness to participate in ecological activities were gradually increasing across the nation around the time of the Toyako Summit.

Posted: 2008/12/19 06:18:43 AM

TAG NGO/Citizen , Non-manufacturing industry , Other