A study published by the National Academy of Sciences in 2025 revealed that many Americans inaccurately assess which personal actions have the greatest effect on climate change. Conducted in the United States, the research asked participants to rank activities such as switching from gasoline cars to electric vehicles, carpooling, and reducing food waste. Results showed a tendency to give disproportionate importance to low-impact but visible habits like recycling, while underestimating the effects of high-impact actions such as avoiding flights, not owning a dog, and using renewable energy. Experts explained that climate change is caused mainly by greenhouse gases released when fossil fuels are burned, and the most effective personal decisions often involve reducing these emissions.

The study’s authors cited several factors for this misjudgment. Marketing campaigns predominantly highlight visible habits, making them appear more important. Psychologists said that the tangible nature of actions like recycling makes them easier to recall, unlike emissions from flights, which are invisible. Air travel produces significant carbon dioxide, with one round-trip flight from New York to Los Angeles emitting more than 1,300 pounds per passenger. Pet ownership, particularly of dogs, also has a notable impact due to the meat-based diets of carnivorous animals, which contribute to methane emissions and deforestation. Switching to renewable energy sources such as solar and wind provides a formidable reduction in emissions, while improving appliance efficiency or washing clothes in cold water offers a smaller benefit. The report suggested that fortifying public understanding with precise information can lead to more efficacious climate-friendly decisions, as participants adjusted their intended actions after learning the actual rankings.