Study finds men contribute more to climate change than women

A new study looking at climate change from researchers analyzing Swedish subjects has found that men spend their money in a way that contributes to more carbon emissions than women.

Researchers from Ecoloop in Sweden found that when comparing men and women who spend around the same sum of money, on average, men spend their money in a way that causes 16% more carbon emissions than women.

The study was based on single men and women as the figures for families were not available. 

Ecoloop's Annika Carlsson Kanyama said, “We think it’s important to take the difference between men and women into account in policy making,”

Annika also revealed that the way men and women spend money is rather cliché. “The way they spend is very stereotypical—women spend more money on home decoration, health and clothes and men spend more money on fuel for cars, eating out, alcohol and tobacco,” she said.

More from woman&home:

• Sustainable living: 10 ways to stop global warming from your own home
• The best sustainable fashion brands to shop for the ethical fashion
• The best eco-friendly subscription boxes that promote self-care and sustainable living

The study discovered that holidays accounted for a third of the emissions for both men and women. Researcher Annika was shocked by this discovery and confessed, “That is a lot more than I expected.”

But instead of calling off holidays altogether, researchers found that there are simple ways to reduce carbon emissions.

Ecoloop discovered that by swapping to a vegan diet and using trains and other modes of transport, rather than cars or planes, reduces an individual’s carbon emission by 40%.

The recommendations to shift diet and transport were selected by the research team because they do not require the subjects to buy in order to be more environmentally friendly.

For example, buying an electric car would help the environment but would require extra expenditure. Adapting your diet or mode of transport will likely cost around the same as what you may have spent anyway. 

“These are substantial changes, of course, but at least you don’t need to look for another job or borrow money from the bank,” she said. “So it is something within our reach here and now. Just use the same money you have and buy something else.“

The study's data was collected in 2012 and although technology has advanced, the research team concluded that the differences in carbon emissions based on gender, have likely remained the same.

“I’m surprised more studies have not been done about the gender differences in environmental impact." said Annika. "There are quite clear differences and they are not likely to go away in the near future.”