Children: turns out, despite their rather inability to discern between decent music and mindless pap, they may actually have opinions that are worth listening to. Or otherwise be concerned about how unnecessarily stressed we are making them. According to a report commissioned by the Co-operative in the UK, children aged 7 to 14 value environmentally minded lessons. Predictably this is at the expense of difficult, drier subjects like Science and History. With only English and Maths agreed to be more important, 82% of Children felt that Green issues were an important area of their education. 93% of the children who responded claimed to recycle, though the extent to which this is true is debateable. Also impressive: 85% of children claim that they turn their taps off when pasting up their teeth. Kids are overwhelmingly concerned about the environment in which they live: only 4% claim to be unconcerned about the environment.

This could all be terrible news for the Air conditioning service of the future then. This study confirms that the indoctrination (to name it conspiratorially) of children into the global warming agenda is complete. Environmental issues are important to our kids, but it is slightly concerning that they aren’t more questioning – we’re teaching, not indoctrinating, after all. Meanwhile, the older generation are being left behind by their children’s greater knowledge and struggling to answer questions. Six out of ten parents believe that their child convinces them to act greener. Two fifth of parents were never actually taught anything about the environement. This is good news because apparently, Acid rain is a cause of global warming in the opinions of 34% of these adults. Not the types likely to avoid the annual HVAC repair, then.

That children are taking an interest in the world they will inherit is certainly very promising. I think we can all feel a little more assured that the kids are going to treat the planet well. The power of guilt is quite substantial, and we’ll surely find ourselves buying A+++ Freezers and all manner of green-credentialed appliances for our homes. Or, maybe not? Though their priorities are certainly exemplary, they’re the priorities of children: it seems unlikely to me that when grown up, these kids won’t care quite as much. When they’re working behind a desk, they’ll be just as grateful about their air conditioning company as we terrible oldies are right now.