The average American experiences the annual 48 days of “eco guilt.” It’s a sense that you can do more to help the environment.
New research Of the 2,000 Americans, they identified a certain number of days when people felt strong guilt about their environmental habits, finding that on average, they collided with nearly 50 times a year.
From food (31%) to throwing potentially recycled items (29%), many say they regularly feel they can improve their environmental habits.
As Earth Day approaches on April 22nd, the survey shows that while people try, half (50%) admit that they are more likely to not do anything environmentally friendly when they are rushed or stressed.
Talker Research has been running it on behalf of the Website For the all-in plan, the study also unearthed other concerns that Americans regularly burden in addition to ecoguilt.
Recycling and reducing plastics is the most difficult when you’re busy
Financial concerns (43%) and health concerns (33%) were on the list. Sleep issues (31%), political concern (27%), and family responsibility (27%) also take the toll on stress, making Americans more susceptible to environmentally friendly behavior.
Specifically, environmentally friendly habits that you find most difficult to maintain when you’re busy or stressed are recycling properly (29%), cooking at home instead of ordering takeaway (27%), avoiding single plastic used (22%), and bringing reusable bags, bottles, or containers when shopping (20%).
Despite these challenges, three in four (73%) Americans say they want them to be more environmentally friendly than they do today.
“It can be difficult to balance everyday life with environmentally friendly habits,” said Kwamina Crankson, HP’s Subscriber Growth SVP. “We want to ease that pressure by providing products and solutions that fit people’s routines easily and supporting a more sustainable lifestyle without stress.”
Good news? Small changes can make a big difference. Whether you use refillable water bottles, switch to reusable grocery bags, or choose a service designed with sustainability in mind, consumers are looking for eco-friendly habits that suit their daily lives.
For example, many people choose services that reduce waste, reduce unnecessary shipping, and offer built-in recycling options.
Over the past month, participants said they felt guilty of leaving light and electronics alone when not in use, using too much plastic, wasting food, walking, riding a bike, or taking a long shower.
Millennials experience eco-guilt, most commonly only five times a month (5.4), while Gen Z worry about similar amounts (5.2). This drops to less than 4 times with Gen X (4) and less than 3 times per month for Baby Boomers (2.8).
Millennials and ZZ feel the most eco guilt
When asked why younger generations might think they feel more “eco guilty” than older generations, 48% said it was because they grew up with more information on climate change and environmental issues.
Younger generations were willing to pay more for things like technology if they were environmentally friendly. GENZ (36%) and millennials (39%) supported this, dropping to 33% for Gen Xers and 26% for baby boomers.
And what do consumers want from their brands? Above all, they want businesses to make their sustainable lifestyle easier. Respondents sought reduced plastic packaging (60%), more affordable sustainable products (54%), and better recycling programs (54%). Others sought reuse and repair services (40%) and greater access for companies to reduce manufacturing and shipping emissions (40%).
“Millions of people think about climate change every day and want to make a difference, but many still wonder if individual choices are important,” Kwamina Crankson added to the website. “That’s why we focus on making sustainable living feel like a burden and a common opportunity. We create solutions that allow us to easily integrate sustainability into our daily lives, providing better access to sustainable options and recyclable products.”
Research method:
The Talker survey looked at 2,000 Americans. The investigation was commissioned by Website Managed and implemented online by Talker Research March 14th – March 30th, 2025.
