By Marie Haaland // SWNS
NEWS COPY W/ VIDEO + INFOGRAPHIC
From believing the Grand Canyon is in Colorado to thinking Niagara Falls is located in Iceland, some Americans are a little confused about the location of landmarks and forests.
When the 2,000 survey respondents were asked where different natural areas are located — results found many are more confident in their geographical skills than they should be.
While 64% feel knowledgeable about the locations of these natural places, just over half of respondents (51%) know the Redwood Forest is located in California, while 35% correctly said the Shawnee National Forest is in Illinois (18% incorrectly selected Ireland).
Fewer than four in 10 (38%) said the Grand Canyon is in Arizona — Colorado was the most common incorrect answer (19%), and the results also revealed that 22% believe Niagara Falls is in Iceland, not in New York and Canada (32%).
The survey, conducted by OnePoll and commissioned by Charmin, delved beyond geography and asked respondents about their feelings on sustainability and taking care of the great outdoors.
While Americans might not be geography experts, results found 71% do believe in the importance of protecting the great outdoors — and respondents think everyone should work together to protect Mother Nature.
Sixty-seven percent believe individuals have a responsibility toward the outdoors, and the same number think it’s necessary for companies to use responsibly sourced materials.
When asked what moral obligations they believe companies have, replacing and replenishing the habitats they take resources from came out at the top of the list (54%).
In fact, seven in 10 think paper companies should only source materials from responsibly managed forests.
Forty-four percent of respondents said companies are morally obligated to research more eco-friendly methods of production, and the same number believe they have an obligation to donate to environmental charities.
“It’s not surprising to see how many respondents believe companies have a moral obligation to protect our natural resources,” said Rob Reinerman, Charmin Vice President, Procter and Gamble. “That’s a responsibility we take seriously and why 100% of our paper comes from responsibly managed, working forests. For every tree we use, at least two are regrown.”
Nearly half of respondents (48%) try to learn about a company’s sustainability practices before buying their product.
Six in 10 (62%) said they actively try to purchase sustainable products — but they’re not always sure what to look for.
For example, four in 10 were unfamiliar with the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) label, and when shown a photo of the label, only 40% knew it meant a product was sourced from a sustainably managed forest.
Results also found 45% misidentified what FSC stood for.
“Purchasing products with the Forest Stewardship Council label is an easy way for all Americans to help protect forests,” said Reinerman. “The FSC standards ensure that we are protecting wildlife and contributing to thriving local communities. People can learn more about Charmin’s sustainability efforts at Charmin.com/sustainability.”
COMPANIES’ MORAL OBLIGATIONS, ACCORDING TO RESPONDENTS
- Replace and replenish the habitats they take resources from 54%
- Research more eco-friendly methods of production 44%
- Give monetary donations to charitable organizations 44%
- Offset their carbon footprint as much as possible 41%
- Create a plan to lessen their carbon footprint by a certain date 32%
FSC-C100701
