Young adults waste more energy and water than older adults

A study of 2,000 people in the United Kingdom has concluded that young adults—ages 18 to 24—are the worst offenders when it comes to wasting energy and water.

This goes against conventional wisdom that suggests young people are the most interested age group in environmental activism and the best potential market for green businesses.

Fifty-six percent of young adult respondents admitted to leaving the tap running while brushing their teeth, and 40 percent said they turn the shower on a few minutes before getting in. These numbers are higher than the percentages of all respondents, but I wonder if it could be in part because younger people are more likely to answer the survey more factually than older respondents (just a guess)?

One of the conclusions of the study was that businesses would be wise to not assume that younger people will be automatically engaged in green business movements. This is similar to the idea that young people are "engaged" in politics, but often do not turn out to vote on election days, making it risky for politicians to rely on young voters to get elected.