Pink pound goes green

5:52pm Tuesday 25th July 2006

Gasoline. July 21, 2006.

Research by Gasoline, an advertising and marketing agency, has found that gay and lesbians are going greener faster than any other group of people. The Pink Pound, a measure of the amount of money this group has to spend, is going green faster than any other group.

A gay couple, for instance, is twice as likely to go on a holiday organised by a charity than a heterosexual couple. They are also more aware of eco-tourism, making sure that they do not damage the environment in which they are travelling and they are more likely to eschew the large resorts.

They will also recycle up to 15% more than any other group (single people; OAPs, 50 to 65 year old couples, newly married couples 20-29 years old, married couples 30 to 49 years old, divorcees.) The least likely to recycle are the OAPs. Mark Joy, managing director of Gasoline explains: "The younger OAPs, in particular, were the first real consumer generation. They enjoyed the fruits of labour and survived the early austere years after the war. They seem least effected by the need to recycle."

The use of public transport and bicycles are most prevalent in this group. Over 17% of them cycle to work. Another 69% regularly use public transport to get around, particularly for work.

They are more likely to restore a property than any other group, often preferring an older property. Joy says; "a great deal of this seems to come down to money and desire. With fewer, if any, dependents they tend to have more disposable income and so they can realise their dreams as far as design and build are concerned." Over 64% said that they would prefer to buy a period home and, of this, 48% were looking to restore their property.

59% had purchased organic food in the last 6 month period, but this could drop as low as 10% in some of the other groups. Reasons cited ranged from personal health benefits to the protection of the environment and animal welfare.

There was a significant proportion who knew the Carbon Footprint of several vegetables and fruits, and who chose to purchase products that were grown locally or regionally, rather than ones flown in from abroad. And 65% understood the term Carbon Footprint, compared to only 38% of all those questioned.

72% were concerned about the environment but this was an average, surpassed only by married couples with children. Joy says: "Most concerns expressed were about what the next generation would inherit rather than the immediate effects of global warming."

Donations to charities were significantly larger in this group than many others, however the designated charities tended to be disease or environmentally oriented. 82% admitted to donating to a charity within the last six months.