Most Americans Want to Protect This Planet But Don’t Know How
86% of Americans feel our planet is worth protecting, but more than half don’t how they can personally help
New poll commissioned by Neutral Foods also reveals 62% of Americans agree that food choices impact the planet, and 52% would switch to a different food brand if it could impact climate change
Portland, OR. April 5, 2023 — Eighty-six percent of all adults in the United States feel the planet is worth saving, and, of those, 51% agree that protecting the planet is important to them but they don’t know what they can personally do to help make a difference, according to a new YouGov survey of U.S. adults* commissioned by Neutral Foods, the nation’s first carbon neutral food company.
Fielded March 2023, the survey results released during Earth Month also reveal that:
73% of Americans feel fighting climate change is important to them and of those who say it’s important, 92% agree with the statement they “feel our planet is worth protecting.”
62% of all U.S. adults agree “food choices can impact the planet.”
More than half (52%) of Americans agree that they would switch to a different food brand if it could impact climate change.
“There is a very, very real urgency surrounding climate change and this new survey data validates that consumers are ready and willing to help make a difference,” said Marcus Lovell Smith, CEO, Neutral Foods. “We have a simple way to help the large majority of Americans who believe the planet is worth protecting but may not know exactly what to do. We can all start with small changes like choosing carbon neutral milk for a daily bowl of cereal or a morning latté, which can add up to major decreases in CO2 emissions.”
Neutral Foods built the company on the belief that the world is worth protecting and that, together, people can make a real impact with daily food choices. To demonstrate what a wonderful, wacky, wild planet we live on that we love and cherish, Neutral is launching a new brand campaign launching during Earth Month entitled “Milk for a Planet Worth Saving.” It features a collection of videos of everyday people that shine a light on the large and small things that make life on earth wonderful.
Via social media, Neutral is also gathering real-life #planetworthsaving video testimonials by inviting consumers to post an Instagram Reel tagging @eatneutral answering the question: “Why do you believe the planet is worth saving?” For inspiration, here are some video examples of actor Jake Johnson and Neutral fan and investor, Mark Cuban.
“By making informed choices, consumers can do their part and send a message to food producers and policymakers about the importance of sustainability and climate action,” said Sweta Chakraborty, U.S. CEO, We Don’t Have Time. “There’s a huge opportunity to change the way food is produced and consumed to reduce emissions and even sequester carbon in the soil through regenerative agriculture practices and other on-farm projects like Neutral is pioneering.”
Neutral’s carbon reduction team has implemented 13 carbon reduction projects on dairy farms in the last 18 months and will reach as many as 30 by the end of this year. As its brand name implies, the company has provided only carbon-neutral products since its inception including whole and 2% organic milk at Whole Foods Market and Sprouts Farmers Market nationwide, and regionally at Target on the West Coast, New Seasons in Portland, Erewhon in Los Angeles, and Pete’s Fresh Market in Chicago.
Photos and videos available for download here.
ABOUT NEUTRAL
Neutral Foods, the first carbon neutral food company in the United States, backed by Bill Gates founded Breakthrough Energy Ventures, offers carbon neutral dairy products nationwide. The company is on a mission to radically reduce the nearly 37 percent of global emissions produced by agriculture and the food system. Started in 2019 in Portland, Oregon, Neutral is a national brand that works directly with farmers to reduce the carbon footprint of dairy products - for good. Neutral has organic and conventional carbon neutral dairy solutions, including whole milk, 2%, half-and-half, and butter. Products are available at Whole Foods Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, Target on the West Coast, The Fresh Market, Giant Eagle, Imperfect Foods, Fresh Direct, and several regional and local chains and independent grocers. Additional Neutral investors are Mark Cuban and David Adelman’s Darco Capital, which led a celebrity round of investors, including LeBron James, John Legend, and Questlove. Japanese firm Global Brain, its CVC partners Kirin Holdings Company, Limited and Norinchukin Bank, and Craig Shapiro of the New York-based Collaborative Fund have also invested in Neutral and its vision of a more sustainable food system.
*ABOUT THE SURVEY
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc pulled from a survey conducted using an online interview administered to members of the YouGov Plc panel of individuals who have agreed to take part in surveys. Fieldwork was undertaken between March 14-15, 2023. The survey was carried out online with emails sent to panelists selected at random from the base sample and the total sample size was 1,178 adults. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all U.S. adults (aged 18+).
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