NOW CLOSED Universal Children's Day: Why in the UK are we less optimistic about global issues than developing countries - share your views - you could win a £100 voucher

[AnnMumsnet]

Mumsnet are working closely with Unilever (now a member of our family friendly programme!) to provide opinion on a number of sustainability projects.

On Monday we asked whether your children inspired you to live more sustainably? Thanks for all the responses.

And today (Wednesday) Unilever say "Today is Universal Childrens Day and research from Unilever Project Sunlight reveals that 6 in 10 children are worried about global issues, but in spite of this remain twice as optimistic about the future than their parents. In fact, UK parents were less optimistic than those in developing countries"

So the additional question today is why do you think we are less optimistic in the UK?

Let us know on this thread your views on both questions and you'll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £100 Sainsbury's voucher.

Thanks and good luck

MNHQ

a lot of pessimism is just realism. so less education and knowledge means more optimism

I am far less eco than pre kids. I drive more and further, I dread to think how much plastic crap I have bought and broken then thrown away, I have had 3 kids (big sin in green terms) etc etc etc

I think it can be a British thing to be a bit pessimistic?

I remember when I was young learning about recycling, global warming, saving the environment and it seemed like our efforts were a drop in the ocean compared to the big chimneys you see on industrial sites.. new cars and new homes being built, etc.. Kids are pretty astute about these things.

I think we are less optimistic because the reality of life in the developed world is very unsustainable and deep down we know that. In the less developed places people can see how to live more sustainably with the economy making the throw away society we live in impossible.

My take on this - which is possibly over-simplistic - is that we just know more about global issues than people in developing countries....

I hope I won't be shot down for saying it, but we possibly have a broader World view, as a nation, than many other countries including the USA!

we also live on a massively overcrowded island with very little space, massive congestion and pollution hotspots, overcrowded public transport and with constant planning permission being granted on remaining green spaces that have buffered us slightly for more building. cost of living is rocketing whilst wages in real terms have been dropping for decades.

it's not really pessimistic to notice reality. it's sanity.

oh and as i walk to school and work on a daily basis i have to look at gridlocked traffic on route with great big 4 wheel drives with one adult in them driving a short journey and parents who live a 5minute walk from school insisting on driving their children there in their fuel guzzlers. it's very in your face here i guess.

The press and public at large is negative about green initiatives, including recycling, so perhaps we're just not optimistic about outcomes

I think being and looking optimistic is a bit frowned upon. As gazzalw we are also more aware of the issues, and our children's future does not look a barrel of laugh. They can look forward to never being able to afford a home and fight unwinnable wars over resources, while our generation is expected to work till we drop and expect no pension - according to the papers.

I think, as a nation, we are incredibly pessimistic. It's a cultural thing so is a cycle hard to break.

That said, I do recycle everything where I can. Our council have provided us with four bins (so fugly!) - landfill, garden an food waste, plastic and metal, paper and cardboard - as well as a small food bun for indoors. It makes recycling so much easier, and I feel like I'm doing my wee bit towards a greener planet.

I have always tried to recycle and we have our own compost heap & veg patch. Both of my DS are very young at the moment so not really aware of the implications although they are starting to understand that wasting water (one of my major bugbears) is important. The name's probably a bit of a giveaway but I grew up in Africa and am often shocked by how blasé people are with this resource.

We are more pessimistic because we have access to the technology that being relatively affluent brings, and therefore subject to the media reporting of the realities of life on a daily basis, and these days 24 hours a day.

I remember clearly being a teenager in the late 80's/early 90's when being green was cool and we thought we could save the rainforest/whale/panda etc...I also have norne witness since then to more rainforest destruction, global warming, ocean depletion, a huge rise in consumerism, an unfathomable rise in air travel and fashion for huger and huger cars that have only served to push the planet closer to the brink. Despite all our knowledge, and our power to change things, we seem hellbent on destroying the place we depend on for our existence. We realise what trouble we are in yet we choose to ignore it and continue...or even up the stakes against ourselves.

We personally are living very sustainably...i now if and when the shit hits the fan climate change wise we are going to be in a better position than most as we are slowly getting ourselves 'off the grid'. i see a lot of people distracted by the bread and games of modern trapping and i wonder where we went wrong as a soecies.

I'm NOT a doom merchant ( though i realise i sound like one) and I'm generally considered an optimist by most people. But this is such a stark and apparent truth to me that I'm buggered if I can understand why everyone can't see it.

You're asking why the UK is more pessimistic than other places in the world. I have a bit of a theory that might make sense.

Part of it is that we are in the top 10 % of richest countries, we competely and utterly take for granted basics such as clean usable water, access to amazing healthcare, free schooling, a benefits system, a house, a care system etc. they are by o means perfect but few people die from dysentry because they have to drink out of the same water that an open sewer runs into. No one, unless through neglect, dies in this country from malnutrition.

We dont have the same terrible worries as most of the world. People struggle with money here, but no where near on the scale as the majority of the world. Where they if you have no money your children die.

If you live in abject povety you need to be optimistic or you would just give up and you wouldnt live.

Also we used to be the richest country in the world lording over everyone, thinking we were superior, we lost that and have drop down in wealth and qualilty of life. We are well educated and can see how powerless we are to do anything against the huge coporations that are fucking up our world (hello unilever).

Having my daughter, has made us live more sustainably. We have moved within walking/ cycling distance of work. I have had more time to try grow more fruit and veg ( although lots has failed!) and we try buy local when we can. We recycle but There is so much more we should do.

I think some of the pessimism is down to being realistic like others have said and a cultural thing. We don't give enough praise for the things in the country that are great. Eg our water systems,

On Monday we asked whether your children inspired you to live more sustainably?

Not really, I have lived abroad where they do a lot more for the environment, so I am used to being very careful and I always recycle everything I can, reuse what I can, sell or buy second hand if possible, freecycle things if I can't sell them. I don't litter or waste water or electricity.

So the additional question today is why do you think we are less optimistic in the UK?

I think the whole of the UK isn't very optimistic at the moment, we have too many problems to worry about, life is becoming increasingly hard financially and we are all trying to stay afloat and look after ourselves.

Add to that all the things we read about big companies polluting the seas etc and our little efforts to recycle and live carefully seem to not make a difference.

So far I don't have children, I'm expecting my first now, but I know that having children will inspire me to live more sustainably simply because of the creativity that comes along with it. From recycling things for art work to growing garden vegetables - I simply cannot wait until my baby is old enough and that I am no longer a student myself so I can have a garden to do this!
As a student of international politics, I do believe that there is not much to get countries to be more sustainable, so if our children can teach us how, or at least be our incentive, then I believe a greener world could be possible.

I certainly want to live longer now I'm a parent. I'm also very aware that my son watches what I do around the house, so am more conscious of how I recycle, throw out the rubbish (and so forth) as a result.

In regards to why we're less optimistic about green issues here in the UK... I think we have the power of advertising to thank for that. With media so much more readily accessible here in the UK, everyone has been exposed to a green message at least once in their lifetime.

We as a family try & recycle what we can & try & get my girls to understand why. The girls also learn a lot about the environment & bring green at school & have recently taken part in an initiative with edf energy to understand about energy sources etc

probably because of daily exposure to media - TV, papers etc - we're more aware of what's happening globally. Also might be part of our collective personality though!

DS always reminds me to recycle, to not waste and to remember plastic bags. both kids are keen on growing their own veg.
DS had cloth nappies, and we have just bought more for our friends newborn. Im known as the nappy lady at our local primary!!

Aside from all the usual things like recycling etc I cloth nappy/wipe admittedly more because of the financial savings, but eco-friendly does have a look in too ;) I find it horrific that the disposable nappies I wore as a child are still lurking around and will be when I have been dead over 100 years. If we keep doing this then there'll surely be no room left for humans and wildlife in the not too distant future. I don't want that world for my baby and my baby's babies.

I am actually optimistic that things will change though. (can't speak for DD she is 15wks old!)

we know what damage we have done.the kids now are having to make up for it with all these green projects.
i would say people in developing countries havenmt had the luxeriues we took for granted so have always had to work hard for there things.us we rubbished our own world and are now paying the price ias things slowly get harder and more difficult.

children in general make me think about living more sustainably - the world is there for them and without taking action now it may be a grim life which I don't want.

Probably less optimistic because we're a bunch of cynical somethings (can't think fo the word). Also we've seen change over time how things have got worse and all th political arguing meaning that big policy change takes years to happen and grass roots stuff is not as effective as lots of people dont care/take note

I do think that having children has made me more aware of environmental issues or at least more committed to doing my part with this. It's my children's future and their children's future etc. Somehow that makes it more real I suppose in terms of my responsibility. I am better with food waste, turning off appliances and recycling. It matters.

I am not sure why we are so pessimistic. Another op mentioned that as a nation we are pessimistic and I think that is too. I also think it is because the size of the problem can be so overwhelming. That makes it feel unmanageable I suppose. It's the little things that we all do that matter though.

Guilt perhaps?

Unilever, still testing on animals. Awful company. Do I win?!