Vanity trumps environment for 18-34s

A survey by Bristol Water has revealed a prevalence among young adults of wasting water in displays of astonishing vanity and environmental ignorance that included running taps to mask the noise of what they are doing in the toilet.

The survey’s “eye watering results” indicated baby boomers to be significantly more environmentally switched on than millennials. Responses from 18-34 year-olds included:

48% run taps to drown out “toilet noises” compared with one-in-five 55 year olds;

24% shower often or very often after defecating;

48% try to heat a bathroom by running a hot shower without standing under it with 23% doing this often or very often (17% of over 55s admitted doing it at all);

67% shower to keep warm (42% across all ages)

42% fill a bucket, sink or bath to cool drinks (29% across all ages)

28% run a hot shower in a bid to steam creases out of clothes (14% across all ages) and

22% flush dead pets down the toilet (11% across all ages).

More than three quarters of the people polled said they could generally be more water efficient with 92% of the 18-34 age group saying the same.

The survey was part of Bristol’s water meter promotion campaign: Life’s sweeter with a meter.