The Green Room

Preserving the environment seems like a topic with universal interest. But having an interest doesn’t always mean we’re willing to change our behaviors. If you’ve ever wondered about someone else’s attitudes toward sustainability, you should check out National Geographic’s Greendex. Updated for the fourth year earlier this summer, it’s a survey of the thoughts and actions of 17,000 consumers in 17 countries that the society compiles in partnership with GlobeScan.

In terms of sustainable behavior, the top-scoring consumers of 2012 reside in the developing countries of India, China and Brazil, while the lowest-scoring consumers live in industrialized countries, including the United States. Another interesting point, according to the survey? People who demonstrated the least sustainable behavior were also least likely to feel guilty about it.

Read the full report here.