The Portuguese are among Europe's citizens that save more water according to Eurobarometer, of the European Commission on environmental issues.
Cut in water consumption has been one of the measures adopted with increasing frequency by the Portuguese to protect the planet. According to data released this month by the European Commission about the attitude of the population of the 28 Member States in this context, Portugal is the country where the most people that have invested in reducing waste this natural resource: 63% of respondents say they have cut this consumption with the goal of reducing environmental damage. This percentage puts the Portuguese far above the European average - 37% - in terms of saving water, followed them to the Spaniards (55%), the Luxembourgers (54%) and Maltese (52%). Among the countries least concerned with the adoption of this measure are Sweden (18%) and Estonia (18%).
Other behaviors favored by respondents Portuguese are the separation of household waste for recycling (71% say they have done it in prior to completing the questionnaire month a value only 1% lower than the EU average) and the reduction of energy consumption through gestures that pass, for example, by not leaving electronic devices on standby. In terms of reduced energy expenditure, Portugal is the same, and again, above the European average, in general, 52% of Europeans say they have begun to adopt this solution as a way to protect the environment, while 60% of Portuguese ensure already have this care. On the negative side, our country is on the list of those where residents bet on less consumption of local products (20%, against a European average of 35%) and less opt for environmentally friendly forms of travel such as walking, cycling or transport public (25% in Portugal to 35% in Europe).
The European Commission emphasizes that this Eurobarometer comes three years after the completion of the first survey of its kind and that "there is no indication that the concerns of Europeans regarding environmental issues has decreased during this period of time." "The most serious concerns are related to air pollution and oceans with waste generated in the European Union and the destruction of natural resources", that is in the report. The document adds that "the impact of chemicals used daily in health is also a major concern for Europeans", a trend which is, however, contradicted by Portugal, where this concern is only 26% of respondents to give HIM priority.
Eurobarometer findings are based on a survey conducted by TNS Opinion & Social Network in the 28 European Union countries between April 26 and May 11, 2014, which responded to 27,998 citizens from different social and demographic groups through ists Interview performed at home, face to face, in their native languages.
