International Day of Happiness is this Saturday, 20th March 2021 and cardboard campaign group, Beyond the Box, have been looking at exactly what makes us Brits happy – and whether being ‘more green’ and sustainable might have anything to do with it.
With week-long holidays abroad, HIIT sessions at the gym and nights out with friends off the agenda for locked down Brits, it might seem there’s not a whole lot to be happy about. But new research reveals there’s an easy way for the public to boost their mood – by going green.
According to the new poll of 2,000 adults by Beyond the Box, which you can view some of the results in the video below, shows that eco-friendly people who prioritise sustainable behaviour by doing something green 20 or more times a week, like recycling, are twice as happy as those who are green 0 to 2 times a week.
And the research reveals environmentally friendly behaviours can directly influence feelings of happiness, with 64% reporting they feel happy when they do good deeds for the environment, while 50% say making sustainability a priority brings them joy.
Eco-friendly tasks like using bags for life while shopping (54%), flattening old cardboard boxes for recycling (50%) and upcycling (35%) all get endorphins pumping for many Brits, while the typical Briton does something positive for the environment as often as 10 times every week.
Andy Barnetson, spokesperson for Beyond the Box comments: “We all know the positive impact environmentally friendly behaviour can have on the planet, so it’s great to see there is evidence being ‘green’ can help to boost our mood too – particularly during a year that’s been very challenging for so many people.
“It’s brilliant to see that so many people enjoy doing their bit for the planet. And why shouldn’t they? Seemingly small actions, like recycling cardboard packaging, really do make a difference, so we all deserve a pat on the back for our efforts.”
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than a third of Brits made being eco-friendly a bigger priority, but there’s room for improvement. Eight in 10 of those polled admit they could do even more to be ‘green’.
From wasting less water (30%) to reducing food waste (27%) and monitoring energy usage more closely (24%), many of those polled say they could be doing more.
The new study also revealed Brits have learned to find happiness from ‘simple pleasures’ since the start of the pandemic. More than two thirds (71%) of those polled reported it is the small things in life which give them the most pleasure, while two in five respondents (60%) report the impact of COVID-19 has inspired them to seek happiness in little things like sunny days (52%), peace and quiet (43%) and a simple cuppa (38%).
A dutiful one in four respondents admitted personal admin, from sorting out bills and insurance, to filing tax returns now bring them happiness, while more than a third admit the mere sight of a cardboard package on the doorstep sparks joy.
“It’s not surprising that with the year Brits have just endured, many of us are looking to the small pleasures in life to keep us feeling positive and boost our moods,” adds Barnetson.
The Beyond the Box study found cardboard was considered the most eco-friendly type of packaging (77%), ahead of paper (65%) and glass (57%). What’s more, many consumers (23%) now actively seek out products which are packaged in ‘sustainable’ materials.
“We depend on cardboard more than you might think, and it’s become an even more important packaging material while much of the UK has been staying at home,” continues Barnetson. “Whether it’s books to keep us entertained or restaurant meal kits, receiving a cardboard package in the post often feels like Christmas and Britons will have seen many of their home deliveries packaged in cardboard over the past 12 months.
“But this reliance is no bad thing. Cardboard is one of the most sustainable types of packaging, given its strong, 80% UK recycling rate. It’s also made using renewable material and, if the worst comes to the worst, it will biodegrade – although we’d urge everyone to recycle this material wherever they possible can. By recycling cardboard, the paper fibres used to create it can be used again and again. And we think that’s certainly something to smile about!”