8 May 2007The Vancouver SunMisty Harris
David Suzuki, patron saint of hipsters?
That's the implication, at least, of a new Decima Research survey of 1,300 Canadians age 19 to 29. The survey found that nearly 40 per cent of respondents are more concerned about global warming than they are about war (20 per cent), getting ahead at work (17 per cent), drinking and driving (14 per cent) or the opposite sex (six per cent).
Two per cent of respondents expressed concern over an environmental threat of a different sort: the possibility of Britney Spears having another child.
When asked about the best advancement in the last five years, the iPod garnered support from one in five people, followed by social media -- MySpace and blogging, for example -- at 13 per cent, the BlackBerry at 12 per cent and YouTube at eight.
The environmentally friendly hybrid car was by far the top national choice in the survey done for Smirnoff, with 42 per cent of respondents calling the green machine "pure genius."
"People are quick to point to youth and put them into stereotypical roles," said Keith Gillespie, director of Smirnoff Canada.
The Smirnoff Purity Report, aimed at "distilling the pure essence" of young Canucks, provides a sociological snapshot of their views on everything from romance to thrill-seeking and sexual attraction.
"Pure turn-offs" for these young Canadians are overwhelmingly big egos and bad breath, which drew respective votes from 41 and 22 per cent.
The survey is considered accurate within 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
