Teaching old dogs new tricks

My dad didn't like to drive. Any talk of using the car was met with a grumble, an over-estimation of time and distance, and a not-too-generous analysis of the gas price -- regardless if it was a trip down to the local store or to see a relative in a town a few hours away. He simply hated putting miles on the car.

These days, he would be patted on the back for this green attitude. Was he ahead of his time? Not really. Back then, this was all due to frugality.
 
He was part of what I call the 'Lean Generation', that group of Australians who grew up without much money and valued every dollar earned and spent. It was all financial, and understandably so.  
 
For him, going from "lean" to "green" was quite easy, because his long-held beliefs nicely complemented the growing awareness of environmental issues.
 
Reusing and conservation were two of his core values. They're also the values that now resonate with his children.
 
And in that regard, I am extremely grateful for his "eco-nagging," all that time he pestered us to conserve, reuse, or recycle. But I know my upbringing isn't universal.
 
In fact, the older I get, the more I've realized that the situation might be reversed. It's the younger generation that's exerting pressure on their parents to live more lightly on the planet. 

The data
A survey of 16 to 19 year olds in the United Kingdom by the Future Foundation earlier this year found 20 percent rated themselves as "hardcore greens." Among the other findings: One in eight (13 percent) supported a ban on air travel for leisure, and one in 10 said they'd support a ban on cars if climate change continues to worsen. 

But it wasn't these statistics that stood out at me. Almost 50 percent of survey respondents were disappointed that their parents' generation had not done enough to tackle climate change. 

A separate publication on social spending power released last month surveyed a similar age bracket and found respondents, "believe they are different to their parents, with almost two thirds saying their parents' generation has not used its own spending power to influence important issues, and nearly half (48 percent) lobby their parents to switch to fair trade foods at home," according to a report. 

"Three in four (76 percent) teens say they will make a real impact on social and environmental concerns in the future -- and claim their generation better understands its financial clout than their parents." 

The study, released to promote "National Ethical Investment Week," added that adults say children rank equal to the media in influencing green choices. 

This "pester-power" of the green teens looks set to influence peers and parents, including my father's Lean Generation and beyond.

Don't pester, talk
All this suggests "going green" has to be a confrontation. While those surveyed above didn't think their parents were green enough, if there's one thing I learned from my dad, it's that living green just makes sense -- both environmentally and financially.
 
It's possible to save energy at home without freezing in the dark; it's possible to take care of the things we buy and make sure they last a long time; and it's possible to go about your daily life without making unnecessary trips in the car. The key is to have a two-way exchange, a meeting of minds, on what you can comfortably do to live in accord with your values. 

So while I may want to pester my dad into buying a hybrid or a 35+ mpg vehicle, I know it's probably better to just encourage his frugality. 

One day, when he's ready, he may buy that Prius. But getting him to drive it, well, that's a whole other story. 

Andrew Demaria is Rocky Mountain Institute's Director of Content.