By Nantiya Tangwisutijit
The Nation
Results show the wealthier are indifferent towards environmental problems
Over the past two weeks, two new studies have come out showing that consumers in poorer nations are much more concerned about the environment and climate change than their counterparts in wealthier nations.
The National Geographic Society reported last week that in querying 14,000 consumers in 11 countries, those in Brazil and India were up to 50 per cent likelier to be mindful of environmental impact of their lifestyle than those in the United States.
The other study is from the world's leading communications consultants, Havas Media. The organisation announced, in what they assert is the largest consumer study of its kind, that, "[Consumers in] Brazil, China and India are among those who claim to be most alarmed by climate change, while respondents in the US, UK and Germany demonstrate far lower levels of concern. Likewise, consumers in China, Brazil, Mexico and India would be significantly more willing than their North American, British and German counterparts to spend extra on environmentally friendly products."
This is by far one of the dumbest things I have had the pleasure of reading.
The notion that these "developing countries" are more environmentally aware than wealthy nations borders on the insane.
Thailand has a horrible record on protecting the environment. No recycling programs, the rivers are polluted, the factories bellow out pollution with impunity, toxic waste is dumped everywhere without proper planning, plastics and Styrofoam are used without a care in the world, buildings are not built to be environmentally sound or with energy conversation in mind.
The new airport wasn't built to be environmentally sound. It is an energy wasting monstrosity.
Thailand, as far as I know, doesn't have an environmental protection agency nor does it require impact studies for developers.
Go to any shopping mall or super market and how many products are bio-degradable or eco-friendly? None.
Forget Thailand. The notion that China, India and Brazil, probably the worst environmental offenders in the world, are more environmentally conscious than the US, UK and Germany is so ludicrous that I am dumbfounded that anybody had the audacity to make the claim.
The Green movement is strong in the US and laws and codes reflect this. Germany was at the forefront of the Green movement before it was cool to be so. I don't know much about what the British think about the environment, but I would reckon their record is far better than India, China and Brazil.
