Hypocrisy as ‘greens’ eat meat and fly nine times a year

They constantly implore us to do what we can to save the planet.

But a wide-ranging study of the habits of green activists has shown that many do not practise what they preach.

Researchers found that conservationists ‘often engage in environmentally harmful behaviour’. This included taking an average of nine flights a year – far more than the typical Briton.

This is despite air travel being one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases.

Conservationists were also found to regularly eat meat and did not score any better in tests on environmental issues than some who were not green activists.

The researchers, from Cambridge University and the University of Vermont, said there was ‘little correlation between

‘Environmentally harmful activities’

the extent of environmental knowledge and environmentally friendly behaviour’.

In a study of 734 participants from the UK and US, the scientists gathered data on lifestyle choices, including use of bottled water, air travel, meat consumption and family size.

The participants fell into three categories: conservationists, economists and doctors.

The team found conservationists recycled more and ate less meat than the other groups – although the average conservationist still ate meat or fish five times a week. Green campaigners regularly call for people to cut their meat intake due to the damage done by the industry to the planet, including high methane emissions from cows.

The study, published in the journal Biological Conservation, concluded: ‘Many conservationists undertake environmentally harmful activities ... while calling for people ... to reduce such behaviours.’