Teens who are most active online and influential with peers are also the kids most concerned about the environment, according to a study published Monday by research firm JupiterResearch. So-called green teens are slightly more engaged in a number of activities than the average 13-year-old to 17-year-old, according to the report. (Of the teens surveyed, 38 percent said they were worried about the environment, and 15 percent said they were highly concerned about it.)
Green teens are more apt to listen to music, post a personal page online, respond to an online poll or converse in a chat room, according to the report. Green teens are also more influential with peers; 45 percent of green teens said that people come to them for opinions versus 31 percent of average teens. David Card, senior analyst at JupiterResearch and author of the study, said green teens are also more likely to respond to online marketing by buying something in a retail store. "Only if you have a legitimate green thing to say in your marketing, because I don't think these kids can be fooled," he said.
Card added that teens' concern for the environment could be a fad. "We're going to find that grown-ups are more concerned than teens about the environment, so there's a chance it's a fad, but I can't prove it yet. Nevertheless, it's currently trendy."