Climate change is Americans biggest concern for their children not the economy, new survey reveals

The majority of Americans are worried about how younger generations will be impacted by climate change and are actively seeking ways to help, according to a new study.The survey of 2,000 American car owners uncovered that 52% are worried about climate change when thinking about the future for younger generations.Going further, more than a third (36%) cite it as their No.1 concern for future generations, even more than the economy as a top concern (25%) or evolving social norms (13%) and global instability (11%). Commissioned by electric vehicle maker, Rivian, and conducted by Talker Research, the research revealed that most people (63%) believe the purchases they make will have an impact on future generations’ quality of life, either financially, environmentally or both. More than a third (35%) are stressed about their personal contribution to environmental pollution and four in five (81%) are actively looking for ways to protect the environment. In fact, 40% of respondents have made a swap in the last year, exchanging an environmentally “unfriendly” product for a more environmentally-friendly option.Taking a deeper look at how this varies across audiences, Gen Z, out of all generations, was most likely to make a swap (58%).

And parents were more likely to make a switch compared to nonparents (43% vs.36%).     Looking at climate change through a financial lens, parents said affording climate-friendly products has been the most challenging thing they face when looking to protect the environment.A fifth of parents (19%) also said it’s been tough to find environmentally-friendly transportation options that meet their family’s needs and schedules.And when considering the cars they drive, 43% of all respondents are worried about how much they’re contributing to pollution.“The research shows that climate change and environmental pollution are creating a significant amount of stress for parents as they think about the future they’re building for ...