The Chinese have a light environmental impact—and, paradoxically, a lot of green guilt.

The National Geographic Society and GlobeScan‘s Greendex report had some disheartening findings this year for Americans: We are the nation that is ranked last in the world for sustainable behavior, and yet we’re also the most optimistic about our individual actions having a positive impact on the environment. That is to say: Americans are colossally delusional when it comes to our own sustainable practices.

The Greendex is a massive survey that questions 17,000 consumers in over 17 countries on their housing, transportation and food choices. Among these countries, which include China, Brazil and India, the United States has the least environmentally conscious consumers on the planet. And the United States has ranked last on the survey every year since it was started, in 2008.

GlobeScan’s director of sustainability, Eric Whan, points a finger at our culture of consumption. “Greenwashing” gives many Americans the idea that they can buy their way into eco-consciousness, without taking into account the sheer volume of consumption. Americans are also the most likely to drive alone in a car or truck; the least likely to take public transportation, and the least likely to walk or ride a bike to their destination. Yet only 21 percent of Americans felt guilty about their impact on the environment.

On the plus side, Americans were most likely to buy used goods, and they’re relatively more likely to recycle—although Canadian, German, British and Australian consumers all recycle more. Moreover, the United States Department of Agriculture’s certification program makes it easier for Americans to find and purchase organic produce.

Consumers in India, China and Brazil have a much lighter environmental impact on the whole, even as they report greater feelings of guilt regarding their own sustainable practices. Whan speculates that in countries where the green guilt is higher, there’s a greater sense that environmental issues have real impacts on peoples’ health and quality of life.

Nicole Darnall, a researcher at the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University who was not involved in the survey, speculated that green guilt might be the least in those countries that are still debating whether climate change is an issue. In general, people were more inclined to report themselves as being more environmentally responsible than they already were. At the very least, knowing that there is a such a wide gap between our attitudes and our practices might give us all a little push to overcome it.

Curious about how you measure up? Calculate your own Greendex score here.

Image: johnmcga

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Column Facts are facts.

If there’s a theme to this week’s Sex by Numbers, it’s that none of you seem to be able to make up your minds. In general, you’re having more sex than in years past, but you’re not sure yet if you approve. Also, you should probably be using condoms more often.

Factor by which the number of therapists specializing in treating sex addicts has grown in the last decade: 15

Percentage of Americans who believe it is “morally wrong” for unmarried men and women to sleep together: 30%

Percentage of Americans who described themselves as “sexually adventurous” in an ABC News poll: 42%

Number of Britons who believe having sex while standing up cannot result in pregnancy: 1 in 10

Odds that any given heterosexual couple will use a condom during vaginal penetration: 1 in 4

Maximum benefit granted by Veteran Benefits Administration due to anatomical or permanent loss of “external sex organs”: $50,000

Percentage of Americans who believe it is “morally wrong” for married people to have affairs: 92%

Married women who said they married their best-ever sexual partners: 47%

Image: a tai

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One of my favorite Charles Darwin quotes is from The Descent of Man: “Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge.” Sadly, it appears that lately there are a lot of confident people out there when it comes to knowing what’s real in this universe and what’s not. And science and scientists have taken a bit of a beating. With media darlings like “Climategate” and mismanaged flu outbreaks on one side, and the rise of religious extremism on the other, I’m sometimes frightened that science is being edged out, marginalized by all those folks who seem much more certain than I of the ways of the world. Is it true? Are we really getting medieval on ourselves?

Sometimes, perhaps just for comfort’s sake, I find it’s a good idea to check in with the base and make sure we’re all pretty much on the same page. To that, Scientific American just posted what seem like some encouraging numbers from a web survey that “suggests that the scientifically literate public still trusts its experts.”

To conduct the survey, SA joined forces with its “sister publication,” Nature, to poll online readers and got a huge response – more than 21,000 people. The publications acknowledge it was “a supportive and science-literate crowd,” with nearly 20 percent identifying themselves as PhDs. Nevertheless, the survey points to some interesting trends and some wide variations of viewpoints within the community.

Happily, these variations are not apparent regarding the big question of “Who do you believe about stuff?” When asked how much scientists were trusted “to provide accurate information about important issues in society” versus others groups, such as politicians, religious leaders and friends and family, scientists came out way ahead (four out of five stars as opposed to religious leaders getting only about one and a half stars). What’s interesting, though, is that respondents trust scientists on certain subjects like evolution (that’s for you, Charles) and the origin of the universe, but much less so on issues like flu pandemics, depression drugs, pesticides, genetically modified crops and vitamin supplements. It’s almost as if respondents sniffed out the potential for profits and the possibility of scientists being, how shall we say, less than straightforward.

Another interesting line of questions regards one of our fave topics, climate change denial, particularly among us gringos. “Numerous polls show a decline in the percentage of Americans who believe humans affect climate,” says SA, “but our survey suggests the nation is not among the worst deniers.”

Turns out we’re happily behind France, Japan and Australia on this dubious list. But there’s good news here too as “among those respondents who have changed their opinions in the past year, three times more said they are more certain than less certain that humans are changing the climate.”

One heartening, and particularly timely area of inquiry, indicates that respondents still feel, despite the global econominic situation, that putting cash into science is a good ROI (return on investment) strategy. In fact, 72 percent of respondents think that “investment in basic science is one of the best ways to stimulate jobs and the economy.”

The survey looks into a number of other interesting areas as well, including science and politics, “techno fears” and “suspicion over the flu.” The SA post also has some nifty graphics for you at-a-glance folks.

I do realize that SA is asking the choir (albeit one with a diverse voice) for answers here, but sometimes, when the din of dumb gets loud enough, it helps to turn around, face the home crowd and ask, “You still with us?” A resounding “Yes!” is nice to hear.

Image: Jordan Cole

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