Habits and behavior

Consumption and eating habits

Eating habits differ by gender, and studies indicate that men generally consume more meat products than women. The emission of greenhouse gases from cattle breeding and the consumption of meat pollutes the most of all food production. The results of a survey on Icelandic diets conducted between 2019 and 2021 indicate that Icelandic men on average consume more meat per week (736 gr) than women (435 gr). They also eat twice as much processed meat products as women. Women accounted for the majority of those who said they ate vegetarian dishes as their main course, and they are more likely than men to want to reduce their meat consumption and the consumption of animal products (38% versus 23%).

Women play a major role when it comes to consumption and purchasing, as they are often responsible for purchasing for the whole family. Because of this, women are often referred to as the largest consumer group globally. However, it is worth noting that they themselves do not consume all the items purchased for the home. Research then shows that the average carbon footprint of single men is over 10,000 kg per year compared to 8,100 kg for single women. This is because men spend more money on items and products that are more carbon intensive such as petrol, cars and meat products, while women spend more on items such as furniture and clothes that have a lower carbon footprint.

Recycling and sorting

There is evidence that women are more likely to recycle and sort waste at home than men. There also seems to be a gender-based division of labor where men are more likely to be responsible for taking waste to sorting centers. An increased focus on the sorting of household waste will therefore probably have a greater impact on women, as they are more likely than men to change their behavior and that of their family in favor of the environment and climate.

Energy use

When it comes to energy saving in European countries, women find it most useful to receive better information about energy efficiency and savings in order to change their behavior. Men, on the other hand, are more interested in technical solutions such as energy-saving household appliances or public subsidies. When choosing an energy vendor, men mainly consider the price while women also consider the environmental impact of energy sources. Policies that focus on energy savings within households will most likely have a greater impact on women than men, as women are more likely to change their behavior to save energy and they tend to spend more time on domestic tasks than men. Women are also more likely than men to live in so-called “energy poverty” because of lower incomes. It is therefore more difficult for low-income groups to invest in more environmentally friendly or energy-efficient options for the home, such as energy-saving household appliances, as they usually cost more.

Personal values and behaviors

According to research, people who act and think of themselves as part of a whole and show selflessness are more likely to contribute to sustainability, change their behavior in favor of the environment, and be concerned about environmental and climate issues. On the other hand, people who favor class division and individualism are more likely to minimize environmental and climate issues. People who are in favor of status quo are less likely to admit or face climate change. These are often people in management positions who personally benefit from the status quo and current priorities. In this context, research indicates that men are usually the majority of people in management positions and are therefore more likely to justify the system as it is. A study also notes that men seem to avoid choosing a female partner or companion who embraces masculine values and behavior in environmental matters, as they question their heterosexuality. However, it seems that the same does not apply to men who display feminine values and behaviors in environmental matters. It may therefore be that there are certain prejudices against women who do not adhere to the expected feminine values and behavior in society, which consequently promotes gender stereotypes.

In general, however, women seem to have more knowledge of climate and environmental issues than men. Even so, they are more likely to underestimate and downplay their knowledge of the issue. More than half of the people in Iceland feel that they know neither much nor little about climate change, but Icelandic men are slightly more likely to say they know very much or rather much about climate change, than women are.

Concerns about climate change

In the Nordic countries, women are more concerned about climate change than men, and young women are the most concerned age group. Icelandic women are more concerned than men about the consequences that climate change could have on their families and think more about their impact on the environment. Icelandic women are also more likely than Icelandic men to want to change their behavior for the benefit of the environment (73% of women versus 53% of men). Icelandic men feel that their behavior has very little or no effect on environmental and climate issues (44% of men versus 17% of women) and are also more likely to think that on a global scale the public can have little, very little or even no impact on the environment and climate. Icelandic men are also more likely to think that news about the severity of global warming is exaggerated (28% of men versus 15% of women).

Women in the Nordic countries are more likely to participate in measures to mitigate climate change, such as eating more vegetarian food, buying and selling second hand and buying fewer new clothes and consumer goods. Young women in the Nordic countries are more prepared than any other age group to get involved in environmental affairs.

Responsibility and effort

More than half of Icelanders feel that Iceland is doing too little to tackle climate change, and, in that, women are the majority. Men are slightly more likely to be fully satisfied with their own efforts towards environmental and climate issues, while women are more likely to be less satisfied with their efforts. Icelandic women are also more likely to think that individuals are responsible for actions to mitigate global warming, and are slightly more likely than men to think that the government and corporations are responsible. Men answered slightly more often than women that individuals, corporations and the government had rather little, very little or no responsibility for action to mitigate global warming. Some men might also view it as a threat to their masculinity or their position in society to change their behavior regarding climate change, as it has acquired a feminine label. Telling men to stop eating meat and driving big cars could therefore prove difficult if no effort is made to break down gender stereotypes as well.

Impact on people with disabilities

It has been pointed out that people with disabilities often feel like culprits or outcasts in environmental and climate issues. Environmental policies and solutions are often ableist, based on the ability and competence of those who create and develop policies in environmental and climate matters. In this context, people with disabilities are seen as second-class members of society. An example of this is the ban on single use plastic straws and cutlery, which has a negative impact on people with disabilities, and people with disabilities may not have the help, ability or energy to clean reusable straws and cutlery.