Adweek reports sudies conducted by The Harris Poll and TNS claim that while consumers hold companies to a high environmental standard, they themselves are less prone to be environmentally proactive. It seems that while many people will stop buying a product due to negative press regarding the company’s environmental record, these same people tend not to work hard to cut down wasteful consumption.

[C]onsumers are more demanding of the corporate sector than of themselves. Think of it as a case of individuals outsourcing environmental responsibility to big business. “We do see a ‘green-action gap,’ where consumers expect more from companies than they actually do themselves,” says Raphael Bemporad, a founding partner of BBMG [a marketing firm].

Basically, you may stop going to Store A because they pollute, but when’s the last time you took a shorter, colder shower? Though you may be saying to yourself, “No, that’s not me,” and read the hard data in The Harris Poll.

You can also find the rest of the article here, and it’s pretty darn good. It begs the question we all need to ask ourselves from time to time, “Am I being hypocritical when it comes to the environment?” Hmm? Ever think about that, Mister or Miss I Leave The Lights On In The Living Room When I Go To Bed?