Men’s consumption habits are worse for the planet than women’s, according to a new study. For the study, consumption-based greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were measured for the average individual, the average single male, and the average single woman. These were 6, 9, 10, and 8.5 tonnes per capita per year respectively, and more than half of those amounts were due to food, holidays, and furnishings.
What’s interesting is that single men and women spend similar amounts of money on consumer goods, but men’s choices lead to 16% more GHG emissions than women’s. That is because they choose to spend money on things like cars and driving, rather than taking public transportation or trains, as women are more willing to do. More of men’s money goes toward alcohol, tobacco, and eating out, while women often spend money on clothes, home furnishings, and health-based purchases.
Curiously, there were no differences in the carbon footprints of men’s and women’s diets. While men tend to eat more meat, women make up for that in dairy products, which are also carbon-intensive foods.
Lead study author Mannikin Okayama says she wasn’t surprised by the findings because previous research had showed similar differences between single men and women regarding energy use. Instead, she expressed surprise at the fact that more studies haven’t been done on gender differences in environmental impact. “There are quite clear differences and they are not likely to go away in the near future.”
The purpose of the study was to examine where individuals could make changes to their consumption habits in order to shrink their carbon footprints. The researchers looked for ways that would require minimal additional spending, so as to be more accessible to a greater number of people. They found that only switching to plant-based diets and train-based holidays can reduce emissions by 40%.
Policy-makers would do well to pay attention to this if they want to get serious in the fight against global warming.
【小题1】What do single men and single women have in common?| A．They take public transportation. | B．They choose carbon-intensive foods. |
| C．They spend money on the same things. | D．They are concerned about climate change. |
| A．Men seldom show interest in dairy products. |
| B．Single men and women are different in energy use. |
| C．The gender differences had existed for such a long time. |
| D．Lack of findings in gender differences in climate change. |
| A．Gender differences have long existed. | B．Global warming is getting much worse. |
| C．Reducing carbon emission is not so difficult. | D．Consumption habits vary from person to person. |
| A．The measures to reduce carbon emissions. |
| B．The new data about greenhouse gas emissions. |
| C．The consuming differences between single men and women. |
| D．The link between consumption habits and carbon footprints. |
