U.S. survey shows strong support for renewables
NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, US, July 6, 2005 (Refocus Weekly)
Ninety per cent of Americans think that building more solar power facilities is a good idea, while 87% support expansion of windfarms, according to a national survey.
“There is broad support for a new emphasis on finding alternative energy
sources,” concludes the Center of Environmental Law and Policy at Yale
University. The telephone interview of 1,000 adults found that 86% want
increased funding for renewable energy research.
The annual nation wide survey was conducted in late May by Global Strategy Group
and claims an overall margin of error of "3.1% at the 95% confidence level.
“Americans are eager for a new energy policy,” the report notes, with 92% of
Americans worried about dependence on foreign oil and 93% wanting government to
develop new energy technologies and require the auto industry to make cars and
trucks that get better gas mileage. The finding holds across all regions of the
country and demographic groups, and the poll also reveals broad support for
cleaning up air and water and a desire for more government involvement in
environmental protection.
“This poll underscores the fact that Americans want not only energy
independence but also to find ways to break the linkage between energy use and
environmental harm, from local air pollution to global warming,” says Gus
Speth, dean of the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. While
93% say mandating the auto industry to improve gas mileage is a good idea, 96%
of Democrats support it while 86% of Republicans also want more fuel-efficient
vehicles.
Congress recently rejected a proposal to require sport utility vehicles and
minivans to become more fuel-efficient, and to achieve the same mileage as
passenger cars.
“This poll suggests that Washington is out of touch with the American
people,” adds Dan Esty of the Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy
which commissioned the survey. “Republicans, Democrats and Independents, young
and old, men and women - even SUV drivers - embrace investments in new energy
technologies, including better gas mileage in vehicles.”
The survey revealed growing discomfort with environmentalists and a sharp
decline in public confidence with TV news as a source of environmental
information. When asked about their trust in sources of information about
environmental issues, university scientists were the top choice for 83%, the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by 71%, Democrats in Congress by 57%,
Republicans in Congress by 45%, president George Bush by 52% and business groups
by 39%.
Tax credits to consumers who buy more energy-efficient appliances was supported
by 84%, while 81% supported development of hydrogen-powered cars, 81% support
more hydroelectric facilities, 71% support the use of hydrogen fuel cell
technology, 63% want more facilities that generate electricity by burning
biomass, landfill gas and trash, 36% support more nuclear reactors and 33% want
more coal-burning electric plants.
At the bottom of the list of solutions offered by pollsters, 6% said to charge a
tax for every mile a person drives.
While 71% said it is a good idea to promote the use of hydrogen fuel cell
technology, only 8% claim to be very familiar with the technology and 61% are
not very or not at all familiar. Of self-described environmentalists, 52% said
they are at least somewhat familiar with hydrogen fuel cell technology.
Dependence on imported oil was rated as the issue of most concern with 92%,
while global warming was a concern to 74% and climate change to 66% of
respondents, just ahead of the 65% who were concerned with the last-place option
on the extinction of species.
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