Environmental Millennials
“It’s about my health & the health of the world”

Black, Hispanic, or Asian males, 22-25 years old, who live at home with their parents, usually in urban and rural areas of the US.  They are predominantly students working part-time with a median income of $25,000 and $25,000 in student debt. They are unmarried with no children and no immediate desire to get married or have children. They have no political party affiliation and are unlikely to have voted in the last presidential election. They tend to be pessimistic about the prospects of their generation and of the planet Earth, believing that it is harder today to save for the future, pay for college, and buy a home than it was for their parents and that the health of the environment is in jeopardy.

When they think about work, they focus on workplace atmosphere rather than on career opportunities – desiring friendships with their co-workers, a relaxed workplace environment with a flexible schedule, a team-oriented structure, and a tight bond with their boss. They dislike receiving orders but are uncomfortable figuring out things on their own, are impatient, seek instant gratification, and are resistant to “paying their dues” on the job, frequently questioning the status quo.  At present, they are more interested in friendships and lifestyle than in a career, viewing a job as something to do between weekends.

They view face-to-face communication as unimportant, preferring to convey snippets of information on smartphones and tablets, owning multiple devices and gaming systems, which they upgrade frequently. They have trouble with both verbal and non-verbal communication and experience frequent miscommunication with friends, colleagues, and bosses. They shop for food in convenience stores and frequently buy non-food products online, viewing the shopping experience as more important than the purchase.  They value fast more than friendly service, feel that their day-to-day lives are rushed, and make decisions at the last minute. They view the first-hand experience of their friends, the advice of their parents, and online reviews as authoritative.  Although they express deep concern for the environment, they are not regularly engaged in philanthropic or civic activities beyond exhibiting some purchase loyalty to consumer brands that have a connection to the environment. They spend a great deal of time on social media, being extremely likely to contribute original content to social media platforms and to desire feedback in return.  They also are very willing to engage in such online activities as rating products & services. They are somewhat interested in their appearance and very interested in working out.

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