James Wilkie, a business professor at the University of Notre Dame, wanted to understand what drives this gender eco-friendliness gap. "As a result of this stereotype, men may be motivated to avoid or even oppose green behaviors in order to safeguard their gender identity." The first survey of 127 college students asked respondents if they thought green products appeared masculine, feminine or neither. Most participants, both men and women, said items designed to protect the planet seemed feminine. “Stereotypical feminine behavior and attitudes are more in parallel with taking care of the environment,” Wilkie said of the findings.

Source: Washington Post August 31, 2016 10:30 UTC