The Green Generation Prepares for 40th Annual Earth Day

Attended by over 200,000 last year, the Green Apple-Earth Day Festival has grown from eight cities to 10 cities in 2009 and emphasizes environmental volunteerism in solidarity with the new administration's "call to service."

Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips rolls over the Earth Day crowd on the National Mall in a giant bubble. (Photo by Evan Cooper)

Across the U.S. on Earth Day Weekend, Green Apple volunteer projects in parks, beaches, schools and forests, focused on climate change solutions like tree planting, energy efficiency retrofits, water protection, urban gardens and forest restoration.

Earth Day 2009 events are a kick-off to the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, which will reach a high point in April 2010 with Global Days of Service on April 17-18, and a Global Day of Action on April 22, 2010 - the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. On that day, participants will ask their governments to take specific environmental actions. It will be followed by a Global Day of Celebration on April 25th, 2010 marked by 40 simultaneous music and rally events across the world focused on the theme of "The Green Generation."

The campaign takes its name from The Greatest Generation who confronted the challenge of World War II and inspired the major social changes that followed.

The Green Generation counts as members all individuals and corporations that are engaged in activities to solve urgent environmental issues such as climate change and the world’s water and food crises.

The generation gap is closing, according to a public opinion study commissioned by Green Seal and EnviroMedia Social Marketing and conducted by Opinion Research Corporation about products that claim to be environmentally friendly. Results of the survey of 1,000 people conducted by telephone in a random-digit-dial sample were released in February.

The poll shows that overall, 82 percent of respondents are buying green despite the economic downturn. Half of the respondents said they are buying just as many green products now as before the economic downturn, while 19 percent say they are buying more green products. Fourteen percent say they are buying fewer green products.

The survey shows that 64 percent of 18-to 34-year-olds, more than any other age group, believe global warming is caused by human activities. The survey indicates that Americans who believe in this connection are almost twice as likely to buy more green products in this economy than Americans who believe global warming occurs naturally.

The survey found that more participants aged 18-34 participated in green transportation (28%) than any other age group.

Thirty percent of 18 to 44-year-olds think that electricity from renewable resources is most beneficial to the environment - more than any other age group.

Sixty-five percent of 18 to 34-year-olds, more than any other group, think that recycling is the second most beneficial thing people can do for the environment.

What people say is not always what they do. While 87 percent of those surveyed say they recycle, the Environmental Protection Agency reports just 33 percent of U.S. waste is diverted from landfills.

Green-minded people do look for minimally packaged goods (60%), buy green cleaning products, (58%) and buy green personal-care products (31%), the Green Seal survey shows.

"This research suggests that consumers are buying green products second only to participating in recycling," said Arthur Weissman, PhD, Green Seal's president and chief executive. "This increased consumer demand sends a signal to manufacturers to produce products that are truly green."

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2009. All rights reserved.