Canadians' water conservation efforts declining: 2010 Canadian Water
Attitudes Study

While Canadians say they care about water conservation, their actions and levels of understanding miss the mark

TORONTO, March 17 /CNW/ - Canadians' efforts to save water appear to be going down the drain despite their reported concern about its availability, according to the third annual Canadian Water Attitudes Study, commissioned by RBC and Unilever and endorsed by the Canadian Partnership Initiative of the United Nations Water for Life Decade. While almost eight-in-ten (78 per cent) believe they try at least reasonably hard to conserve water, many admit to knowingly engaging in water wasting activities such as leaving the tap running when washing and rinsing dishes (44 per cent) and hosing down their driveways (19 per cent).

"There is an obvious disconnect between Canadians' attitudes towards water conservation and what they're actually doing," says leading water expert Bob Sandford, chair, Canadian Partnership Initiative of the UN Water for Life Decade. "Canadians say they are much more concerned about the availability and quantity of fresh water than any other natural resource, yet their efforts to conserve water are actually decreasing. This should be a huge concern, given that we live in a society run by water and the long-term supply of this precious resource is already at risk in many parts of the country."

Canadians more concerned about saving electricity

The Canadian Water Attitudes Study also reveals that Canadians are more concerned with saving electricity than water. Nine-in-ten (87 per cent) say they try reasonably hard to conserve electricity in their daily activities, higher than the 78 per cent who say the same for water. In addition, three- in-ten (29 per cent) don't know what they pay for their water, three times the proportion who are in the dark about their electricity bill (10 per cent).

"These findings suggest that Canadians haven't made the link between water and energy conservation," says Sandford. "What Canadians may not realize is that generating energy requires a lot of water, and moving water - to make it available for when and where we want it - in turn requires significant amounts of energy. Until people make the link between the two, we won't achieve anything approaching sustainability."

Awareness of the correlation between energy and water might help Canadians set new targets for water consumption and adopt new behaviours to better manage water use.

Highlights of the study: Additional key themes / regional trends

More Canadians are turning to their taps for drinking water

    
    -   More Canadians (49 per cent) are drinking tap water this year than
        last (41 per cent)
    -   More Canadians (79 per cent) are confident in the safety and quality
        of Canada's drinking water this year, up slightly from last year
        (72 per cent)
    -   Quebecers are less confident (68 per cent) in the safety of their
        water than other regions
    -   Awareness of local government initiatives to conserve water are low
        (32 per cent), although awareness is higher in some regions such as
        B.C. (47 per cent) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (38 per cent)
    -   One quarter of Canadians (25 per cent) have no idea where the water
        that flows out of their taps comes from, with Quebecers most likely
        to admit that they don't know (32 per cent)
    

Canadians are less concerned about Canada's long-term supply of fresh water

    
    -   Canadians are generally less concerned this year than last about the
        declining state of Canada's natural resources
    -   Yet half of Canadians still believe freshwater to be Canada's most
        important natural resource (49 per cent)
    

Canadians are increasingly concerned about the quality of their lakes for swimming

    
    -   Eight in ten (83 per cent) Canadians are concerned about the quality
        of water in lakes where they swim
    -   Quebecers and Ontarians are the most likely to be concerned
        (87 per cent in both provinces)
    -   Most Canadians (68 per cent) believe that the quality of their
        swimming lakes is getting worse
    

About the Survey

The 2010 Canadian Water Attitudes Study included an online survey administered by Ipsos Reid from February 17 to 23, 2010. It included a sample of 2,022 adult Canadians from the general population across Canada. The results are considered accurate to within +/- 2.2 per cent, 19 times out of 20, of what the results would have been had the entire adult population in Canada been polled. The data were weighted by region, age and sex according to 2006 Census data.

About Canadian Partnership Initiative in support of the United Nations Water for Life Decade

The United Nations Water for Life Decade is a globally proclaimed decade for action on water quality and availability issues. While each country in the world will be focusing on its own water quality and availability issues within the larger context of the global fresh water situation, the Canadian initiative has been defined by a nation-wide public and private sector partnership aimed at identifying and responding to regional and national water issues. The United Nations Water for Life initiative in Canada exists to put Canadian water issues into a global context. The Canadian United Nations Water for Life partnership initiative is housed, and has its research home in the Western Watersheds Climate Research Collaborative at the University of Lethbridge. For more information about the Canadian partnership initiative in support of the United Nations Water For Life Decade visit www.thinkwater.ca.

About RBC

RBC is one of North America's leading diversified financial services companies and among the largest banks in the world, as measured by market capitalization. It employs approximately 80,000 full- and part-time employees who serve more than 18 million personal, business, public sector and institutional clients through offices in Canada, the U.S. and 53 other countries. RBC is recognized among the world's financial, social and environmental leaders and is listed on the 2009-2010 Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the DJSI North American Index. RBC has been named one of Canada's Greenest Employers, one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers, one of Canada's 50 Most Socially Responsible Corporations and one of the Best Workplaces in Canada. RBC is also listed on the Jantzi Social Index, the FTSE4Good Index, and the Canadian Carbon Disclosure Project Leadership Index. In 2009, RBC contributed more than $105 million to community causes worldwide, through donations of more than $52.6 million, and an additional $52.5 million in sponsorship of community events and national organizations. The RBC Blue Water Project is a 10-year, $50 million philanthropic commitment to supporting organizations that protect watersheds and ensure access to clean drinking water. Since 2007, RBC has committed more than $20.48 million to more than 200 organizations worldwide working in this area. For more information, visit www.rbc.com/bluewater.

About Unilever

Unilever works to create a better future every day. We help people feel good, look good and get more out of life with brands that are good for them and good for others. Each day, around the world, consumers make 160 million decisions to purchase Unilever products. In Canada the portfolio includes brand icons such as: Axe, Becel, Ben & Jerry's, Breyers, Degree, Dove personal care products, Hellmann's, Klondike, Knorr, Lipton, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Sunsilk and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever employs more than 13,000 people across North America - generating nearly $10 billion in sales in 2009. With a steadfast commitment to water sustainability, Unilever strives to lead by example and remains committed to further reducing its water footprint. For eleven years running, Unilever has been acknowledged as the food industry category leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for their environmental policies. For the fifth year running, Unilever was also named amongst the 'Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World' by Corporate Knights and Inflection Point Capital Management, an international finance and investment advisory firm. Unilever is also an active participant in several water sustainability programs across Canada including EcoVoyageurs, a national school-based education program in which students are encouraged to reduce their own 'environmental footprint'. In 2008, Unilever Canada launched Go Blue, a national awareness program which aims to educate consumers about steps they can take to conserve water in their daily lives. For more information, visit www.unilever.com.

For further information: or to arrange an interview, please contact: Cathy Kurzbock, [phone], [email protected]; Matt Gierasimczuk, [phone], [email protected]; Jill Batie, [phone], [email protected]; Jennifer Booth, [phone], [email protected]; Kirsten Booth, [phone], [email protected]