Americans not green enough, Microsoft claims

A survey released by MSN Green claims that 70 percent of the population of the USA don't use a kitchen composter and don't limit toilet flushes to save water.

Worse than that, America produces enough rubbish in a day to equal the weight of the Empire State Building - which, by the way, is quite heavy, although the survey doesn't say exactly how heavy it is. This site says the building weighs 365,000 tons. That's a load of rubbish.

The survey is intended to support "Earth Day", and quizzed 1,086 people over the age of 18. Half of those surveyed said simple systems need to be introduced to identify recyclable waste, and the trash needs to be picked up from their homes.

A fifth of Americans don't have access to recycling services and don't know what a carbon footprint is. Astonishingly, half of the respondents will give up air conditioning for a summer or become a vegetarian for a year to reduce the carbon footprint. But a third want a tax credit before they'll recycle or compost their trash.

Microsoft asked the people it surveyed who their favorite most green celebrities were. The men said Cameron Diaz and the women said Leonardo DiCaprio.