Is the desire for better interaction between humanity and the Earth biosphere (only) a matter of women? Is climate change a man-made disaster?
Hard to have a generalized answer. People are different and there are no genuine studies to prove whether climate change is the result of men's actions alone. However, there are studies that suggest that when it comes to access to the environment, there is somehow a gender-based divide.
Men are less likely to live an environmentally friendly lifestyle, a phenomenon that researchers call the "green-female stereotype."
The link between gender and access to an environmentally friendly life is not new. In recent years there have been several reports showing how men throw more waste, recycle less and leave a larger carbon footprint than women.
A study published in the Journal of Consumer Research by five US universities, entitled “Is being environmentally friendly non-manly? The green-feminine stereotype and its effect ”found a psychological link between being environmentally friendly and the perception of femininity.
The authors say the polls showed that being environmentally friendly is perceived as something "more feminine" - by both men and women.
In a series of experiments involving 2,000 participants from the US and China, scientists found that "both men and women rated eco-friendly products, behaviors and consumers as more feminine."
They point out that there is also a marketing problem in between. Researchers say the problem is not with boys or men, but with businesses that are not doing enough to encourage a pro-environment approach to this gender as well. "Make this approach feel masculine as well - and it will certainly be environmentally friendly," they said.
Burimet: Climate Change Communication – Yale Program, Global Citizen, Euronews
