The ecobarometers are perfect tools to be able to know the degree of awareness of the citizen regarding environmental problems of various kinds and other concerns. There are many issues that cause concern in people, others that not so much and others that do not even cross their minds.
In this case, environmental conservation is ranked third on the list of long-term concerns by Spaniards, behind unemployment and pensions. What issues concern the Spanish citizen the most?
The ecobarometers
The study of ecobarometers is carried out through small citizen surveys. You are introduced to a topic on which the questionnaire is going to deal, or you are presented with a situation and then you proceed to ask certain questions related to the topic. In this case, this project at the national level has been prepared in July 2016 by the Endesa Foundation and the European Society and Education Foundation in two aspects: one focused on young people between 18 and 35 years old and the other on a general public between 18 and 75 years.
The project has been developed through surveys of about 1.000 individuals, through the internet in the case of the youngest and by telephone for the rest of the general public. A large amount of important information is obtained from these questionnaires in order to make government policies that meet the needs and expectations of citizens. For example, some of these surveys reveal data such as that 54 percent of students - up to 16 years old - consider school learning in terms of environment and energy insufficient.
Results and environmental awareness
Juan Carlos Rodríguez is one of the authors of the project carried out and is a researcher at the Socio-Political Analysts center. He pointed out in a press conference that from the results obtained, it can be said that young people obtain and give greater importance to the learning they obtain from family, friends or even, through the media, more than that obtained in the schools.
In terms of environmental awareness, it could be said that Spaniards are fully aware of the danger posed by chemicals used in agriculture. In addition, they are aware of the negative effects we cause, such as the pollution of rivers or the increase in global temperatures of the planet.
Environmental pollution and the legacy for the future
Once the youngest ones have been analyzed, they focus on the general public. Here concern for the environment focuses more on environmental pollution and the legacy that will be left to future generations, rather to immediate ones, such as children and grandchildren. They also care about the protection of nature, the need to preserve it and give it a utility so that it is not destroyed.
The data obtained also contrasts the limited capacity that Spanish society has to be able to bear the costs of certain environmental issues. That is, the costs generated by meteorological phenomena, tree felling, fires, etc.
In addition, the results of several analyzes have shown that thanks to the light saving and energy efficiency campaigns, the use of low consumption light bulbs has increased, as well as the acquisition of recycling habits. Although with all this, the feeling of a lack of training and education still lingers. It is environmental educators who have to work on the training and awareness of citizens capable of maneuvering every day by following and taking pro-environmental actions.
Because the knowledge that the different parts of Spanish society have does not fit together, an education must be carried out and bet on school, in which both children and adults build knowledge and habits based on environmental sustainability, recycling, the rational use of natural resources, saving water and energy, cleaning and caring for our environment, etc.