Scots shun overseas trips and air travel and are now the most eco-conscious people in the UK since lockdown

• The Coronavirus pandemic has shifted Scots’ eco-conscience, as nearly two thirds (65%) now make an effort to live an environmentally friendly lifestyle since lockdown – more than any other UK region
• Over a quarter of Scots (27%) are planning to take staycations instead of trips abroad in future, and over a third of Scots who plan to take trips in the UK or abroad (36%) looking to increase their use of trains for future trips.
• Research by LNER identified the ‘Covid Climate Effect’, highlighting the pandemic (25%) is more than twice as motivating for Scots than climate activist Greta Thunberg (11%) in terms of adopting eco-friendly behaviours
• Noticing a reduction in air and noise pollution (48%), spending more time in the garden or park (43%) and an increased appreciation of nature (40%) top the list of reasons inspiring Scots to become more environmentally conscious since lockdown
• LNER is encouraging the use of more sustainable methods of travel including rail as Scottish people re-evaluate their impact on the planet – as 30% who take or plan to take trips in the UK or abroad, now say it’s their preferred method of travel for holidays within the UK

20^th October 2020: People from Scotland are the most eco-conscious in the UK, as nearly two thirds (65%) now make an effort to live an environmentally friendly lifestyle – more than any other region – since lockdown.

Covid has changed the way Scottish people holiday, as over a quarter (27%) reveal they intend to go on more staycations than trips abroad and 18% will change how they get around the UK and abroad, post-Coronavirus.

Seen as part of the ‘Covid Climate Effect’, a quarter (25%) say the pandemic and its side effects have motivated them to adopt more environmentally friendly behaviours – more than double the amount influenced by environmental activist Greta Thunberg (11%), according to the research by YouGov for rail operator LNER.

Image credited to LNER

Over a third of Scots (36%) are looking to increase their use of trains, and 18% are rethinking their use of planes for future trips.  30% selecting rail as their favourite method of transport for holidays within the UK and abroad.

When it comes to the reasons WHY people are becoming more environmentally conscious since lockdown, nearly a third (31%) say people stockpiling made them more environmentally friendly, admitting it made them think about how much they consume generally. Sir David Attenborough joining social media (14%) and watching more sustainable lifestyles in documentaries like Zac Efron’s ‘Down To Earth’ (6%) also had an impact.

Scottish people also pointed to noticing a reduction in air and noise pollution (48%), spending more time in their garden or local parks (43%) and being able to hear birdsong and take more notice of nature (40%) as the biggest reasons for becoming more environmentally conscious since lockdown.

They are keen to keep these habits going too – over four in 10 (43%) Scots reveal they think they will recycle more in the future, with shopping at local stores (34%), growing their own produce (25%) and trying to use less water (22%) topping the nation’s eco-resolutions for the future.

With the nation turning green, LNER is encouraging the use of more sustainable methods of transport with its new fleet of electric bi-mode Azuma trains, which produce less than a third of the carbon of other modes of transport.

LNER Managing Director, David Horne, said: “Despite how hard the past few months have been, it is positive to see how much Scottish people are striving towards a greener future.  

“Lockdown made many people stop and think about the world we live in, and how we can protect our planet – it’s so encouraging to see that two thirds of Scots are living more sustainably in the wake of Covid, and over a quarter are planning on taking more staycations in the future. 

“When it comes to reaching a UK holiday destination, it’s no secret that trains are one of the most sustainable ways to travel, producing less than a third of the carbon of other modes of transport and proving just as fast, door-to-door.”