“Eco Guilt” Is Real — And Most Americans Feel It Almost Every Week
You’ve heard of buyer’s remorse, Sunday scaries, and guilt over skipping the gym — but eco guilt is the latest heavy feeling creeping into our everyday lives.
Today is Earth Day, and according to a new report, the average American experiences “eco guilt” 48 times a year — that’s roughly once a week — and it stems from the feeling that we could be doing more to help the environment… but often don’t.
Whether it’s tossing something that could’ve been recycled or walking out of the grocery store without a reusable bag (again), eco guilt is hitting us where it hurts — right in the conscience.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s fueling our collective green guilt:
- 31% say they feel guilty about wasting food
- 29% admit they feel bad about trashing recyclables
- 27% feel that pang when they leave the TV on and walk away
But it’s not always laziness — 50% of people say they’re more likely to slip into environmentally unfriendly habits when they’re stressed or in a rush. That includes forgetting to recycle, grabbing single-use plastics, and ditching the reusable containers we all swear we’ll bring next time.
Despite the slip-ups, the desire to improve is real:
- 73% of Americans say they wish they were more eco-friendly
- 33% are actively seeking ways to cut down their eco guilt
And when you zoom in by generation, Millennials and Gen Z lead the guilt charge — not because they’re worse offenders, but because they grew up steeped in climate education and can’t unsee the headlines.
So today, on Earth Day, whether you’re planting a tree or just turning off that light when you leave the room, know this: the guilt may be real — but so is the opportunity to do better.
