Battle of the Eco Sexes

Have you ever considered whether women might have a stronger impact on the environment than men? I got to thinking about my own habits compared to my husband’s habits and how we might each fare differently in terms of our global footprint. Then I got to thinking about women in general; how do they fare compared to the greater population of men? Then I decided that, when it comes to improving our environmental impact, a little friendly competition could be a good thing!

Without being sexist, I can see that in my marriage, the man around my house certainly spends more energy in some places, while I probably produce more waste in others. Off the top of my head, I would make a guess that these are general weaknesses:

Men:
• Cars & Fuel
• Power tools
• Electronics

Women:
• Clothing
• Cosmetics
• Hygiene
• Food

As it turns out, my guesses weren’t far off. Studies have shown that men do in fact use more fuel and electricity, and that single men in particular also spend more money on alcohol, tobacco, and education. Both single and married men have also been shown to drive much more than women. In most parts of the United States, men consistently use more energy than women on vehicles and fuel.

Women on the other hand, in addition to the items I was correct to include on my list, also spend more money on health, home utilities, and health care.

Historically, sociologists have done research that indicates that women are the greener gender when it comes to their attitudes and preferences. Women are more likely to express concern about environmental issues than men are, particularly when the issues threaten people’s health and safety. Women also seem to take climate change more seriously. There are also more vegetarian and vegan women, however of the vegetarian and vegan men, more of them tend to make dietary changes based on environmental reasons while women change their diet more for compassionate or health reasons.

There is also evidence – A recent analysis of Gallup Poll data from 2001 to 2008 – that women may be more aware of climate change, but that does not necessarily mean that they understand and are taking more active measures to impact that change.

There was a study done by The Lantern studying men and women’s habits and the results showed that the differences were slight. The most significant difference between the genders came in the transport category: Single men’s driving habits have a carbon footprint of 13 metric tons of CO2e, compared with women’s 9.4 tons.

So what does this all mean? Mainly, I see this as a point of curiosity that can help us to challenge ourselves. Go against the grain. If you’re a woman, I’m sure you can take steps to reduce your use of disposable products, and if you’re a man you could work towards better fuel economy. And if you’re in a house where a little friendly competition can be effective and fun, turn it into a game and see who can make the most changes. May the environment win!

Jennie LyonJennie Lyon is a green lifestyle writer and the owner of Sweet Greens, the award-winning green lifestyle blog. She posts on simple, fun ways families can go green together – starting with her own. When she isn’t blogging, you will find her paddleboarding, sailing, beach-combing, camping, or spending time with her amazing husband and 14-year old son.

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