How do Americans practice ‘green living’ in the summer?

Most Americans want to reduce their environmental impact and many are taking it a step further by practicing green living this summer, according to a recent survey.

In the poll of 2,000 American adults, three-quarters (75%) said they want to reduce the negative effects of their lifestyle and purchases on Mother Earth.

Seasonality may have some influence here, as 64% of those admitted it’s easier to be eco-friendly during the summertime.

But even still, almost seven in 10 (69%) are adopting green living this season and shaping their habits and routines to be as sustainable and eco-conscious as possible.

For many, green living just looks like recycling (78%) and creating less trash (66%). Sixty-four percent are also working to conserve water and 58% are using less electricity.

Conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by Watermelon.org (http://watermelon.org), the study also found that most (87%) feel it’s important to be environmentally responsible during the summer to reduce waste and pollution, given the amount of events, holidays and parties during the season.

And based on respondents’ tips for green living, the survey found that sustainability isn’t complicated. Many shared advice that centered on conscious consumption and taking a “less is more” approach to shopping.

A number of respondents make a point to compost their food waste and avoid plastic packaging when shopping. Other eco-friendly tips include “Carry a reusable kit — a water bottle, shopping bag and utensil set everywhere you go,” “Incorporate new habits into your lifestyle and they become normal” and “Turn the water off when you brush your teeth.”

Respondents summarized how easy it is to live green by saying, “Just be conscious of every little thing you do. You never know when you will be able to do something in a more sustainable manner” and simply “Buy produce that is not packed in a bag of plastic.”

And this summer, many (29%) are grocery shopping for items with minimal packaging, along with foods that are quick and easy to prepare (64%).

Nutrient-density (44%) is also important to people when grocery shopping, along with taking home hydrating foods (35%).

Top summer grocery haul items from the survey include high-protein selections like chicken (74%) and eggs (68%), along with hydration-rich foods like watermelon (68%), greens (66%) and tomatoes (63%).

“There’s a handful of considerations people have when grocery shopping during the summertime and, at times, it can feel overwhelming,” said Stephanie Barlow, senior director of communications at Watermelon.org. “Many people are balancing rising grocery prices and their needs for healthy, sustainable and hydrating foods. Eating watermelon can check all these boxes since it’s affordable, nutrient-dense, hydrating and uses minimal or no plastic packaging.”

In the survey, respondents were asked about their health goals and the study found that consuming more healthy foods (78%) and drinking more water (76%) are adults’ top wellness priorities.

And for respondents with kids (61%), their biggest health goals for their kids are also improving their hydration (50%) and healthy food intake (47%).

So it’s no surprise that nearly a third of adults (31%) confessed they’re typically dehydrated on any given summer day and more than a fifth of parents (22%) admitted they struggle to get their kids to drink enough water.

To help with this, the majority of parents surveyed (66%) divulged that they feed their kids water-rich foods during the summertime to “sneak” some hydration in.

And the most popular hydrating foods respondents enjoy on summer days are watermelon (74%), strawberries (54%), oranges (46%) and cucumber (46%).

This corresponds nicely with both survey respondents and their kids’ favorite summertime fruit being watermelon (60% and 51% respectively).

“If you’re struggling to stay hydrated during the heat of the summer, try eating some watermelon,” said Barlow. “Or if you just want a cool, refreshing snack, watermelon is perfect for that too.”

TOP GREEN LIVING SUMMER HABITS

• Recycling (78%)
• Creating less trash and waste (66%)
• Conserving water (64%)
• Using less electricity (58%)
• Driving less in general (56%)
• Walking whenever possible (56%)
• Buying locally made/grown products (51%)
• Shopping less in general (44%)
• Buying secondhand products (36%)

GREEN LIVING TIPS

• “Build a compost pile out of anything organic that you would otherwise throw away.”
• “I buy fewer things but choose high-quality, sustainable options.”
• “Carry a reusable kit — a water bottle, shopping bag, and utensil set everywhere you go.”
• “Just be conscious of every little thing you do. You never know when you will be able to do something in a more sustainable manner.”
• “Incorporate new habits into your lifestyle and they become normal. We compost, recycle, buy secondhand and conserve resources. Turn the water off when you brush your teeth!”
• “I try my best to buy produce that is not packed or sacked in a bag of plastic.”
• “Turn off the lights, take shorter showers, recycle whenever possible and buy items at thrift stores.”
• “Going paperless with bills.”

FAVORITE HYDRATING SUMMER FOODS

• Watermelon (74%)
• Strawberries (54%)
• Oranges (46%)
• Cucumber (46%)
• Pineapple (42%)
• Cantaloupe (42%)
• Peaches (41%)
• Lettuce (37%)
• Tomatoes (37%)
• Honeydew melon (30%)
• Celery (22%)
• Bell peppers (20%)
• Zucchini (14%)