Gen Z wants to solve the plastic crisis, but it's more complicated than it looks

Plastic awaits sorting and recycling at Potential Industries, in Wilmington. — CAROLYN COLE/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Gen Z has been heralded by some as the “sustainability” generation – more likely to pay a premium for eco-friendly products and more likely to make purchase decisions that incorporate their personal, social and environmental values.

Some studies indicate they’ve scored off the charts when it comes to their concern about the environment. In one global survey done by Kadence, an international marketing firm, 82% of Gen Z respondents expressed concern about the state of the planet and 72% reported to have proactively altered their behavior to diminish their environmental impact.Deloitte’s “2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey” stated that “many are actively seeking to align their careers and consumer behaviors with their environmental values.”