Just 11% of Americans would give themselves an A+ for their sustainability efforts, according to new research.
A survey of 2,000 adults looked at their sustainability habits, especially when it comes to the kitchen, and found that nearly one in four would grade themselves a C or lower (23%).
Although 77% claim to make efforts to be as wasteless as possible, respondents average throwing away 12 items in a given day.
This adds up, as the average American disposes of nearly three bags of trash a week — totaling over 150 bags of trash in a year.
Despite being the likeliest to give themselves an A+ (15%), millennials average the most trash in a day, throwing about 15 things away.
Conducted by Talker Research for The Chinet Brand, the survey found that the room in the home that sees the most waste is the kitchen (80%) — four times more than the second most-chosen room, the bathroom (20%).
On average, respondents cook seven times a week, with 48% having the goal of making meals they won’t waste and another 37% wanting to make sure that the meals they make have little waste when cooking.
Forty-one percent said food waste is “always” or “often” on their mind when cooking, with millennials claiming to think about it the most (44%).
Although a majority surveyed said it’s a high priority to utilize food before it goes bad (82%), Americans estimate that about a fifth of the food they make gets thrown away (18%).
To reduce food waste, respondents have frozen leftovers (55%) or ingredients (54%) and repurposed their leftovers (50%) or food scraps to make new foods (32%).
More than a quarter of Americans shared that they use “sustainability hacks” in the kitchen (27%) like making “veggie stock out of vegetable scraps,” “storing food in mason jars” or making sure “items in refrigerator and freezer are arranged that are next expiring.”
“Small shifts in preparation and cooking habits can lead to big strides when it comes to reducing waste,” said Melissa Rakos, Chinet brand manager. “Additionally, purchasing compostable products, or items with recyclable or compostable packaging, can make it easy to reduce the amount of waste we contribute to landfills.”
Overall, two-thirds of respondents think they can do a better job of reducing the amount of waste they dispose of, especially those from Gen Z (73%).
Education may be key to making changes Americans feel better about since 40% revealed they feel unknowledgeable about composting food scraps, but Gen Zers are most keen on learning how to (70%).
Nearly seven in 10 also feel at least a little guilty when using disposable items (69%) like plastic bags (29%), disposable water bottles (28%) and plastic or paper plates (22%).
Respondents feel better about using disposable plates and cups if they know they’re made from recycled materials or are recyclable (68%).
And while 28% always recycle items in their home that can be recycled, 62% admitted to throwing something away because it’s inconvenient to recycle at least sometimes.
For many, self-reflection will also help in sustainability efforts as one in six realized they were more wasteful than they originally thought at the start of the survey.
“Changing small, daily habits can add up over time,” Rakos said. “Something as simple as using more sustainable disposable products can help make those shifts a little easier.”
KITCHEN SUSTAINABILITY HACKS
● “Freezing certain foods to keep them fresh longer”
● “Plan out several different meals using some of the same ingredients”
● “Storing food in mason jars”
● “Buying in bulk and breaking them down into individual packaging to prevent the amount overcooked for a meal”
● “I use only fresh ingredients and take any byproducts or leftovers and return them to the forest”
● “Items in refrigerator and freezer are arranged that are next expiring”
● “Wrap celery in foil to make it last longer”
● “Growing new plants from the "leftovers" of others (i.e. lettuce and green onions)”
● “Veggie stock out of vegetable scraps”
● “The water from washing vegetables can be used to water flowers”
Survey methodology:
This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 general population Americans was commissioned by Chinet between April 16 and April 22, 2024. It was conducted by market research company Talker Research, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).
