Walk the Talk: What will it take to go green?
June 27, 2008
According to a new survey of public opinion, Americans are shifting their thinking on green living (info located by CEP’s Christina!) (RBC Capital). Some would argue the shift is slight. Some would say it is significant.
Some of the major findings: Americans are less likely to object to nearby renewable energy installations, such as wind power, and 4 in 10 are considering moving closer to their place of work to cut down on driving.
Also very interesting - six out of 10 said they believed that their personal activities have a meaningful impact on global warming, yet 20 percent admitted they are not taking any steps to reduce their own carbon footprint.
More interesting findings (reprinted from the article):
Six out of 10 say they would rather pay more for cleaner fuels, but an almost equal number of Americans (58 per cent) say it is more important to keep the green in their wallets than to participate in green initiatives.
76 percent said they are driving less, 19 per cent are using or plan to take public transportation more often and 11 percent have made or are considering carpool arrangements.
82 percent of respondents said they will consider buying a hybrid when they purchase their next vehicle.
Americans with incomes of more than $100,000 are also feeling the energy pinch, with 48 per cent saying they are dining out less often and 21 per cent saving less for retirement.
When asked how their summer vacation plans have been altered, half of those surveyed said they are either staying locally or are not vacationing at all.
Almost two-thirds of Americans said they would support a ”holiday,” or repeal, of the federal gas tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Of this group, none said they would drive less, and nearly 20 per cent said they would actually drive more because they could afford to.
Only 16 per cent of Americans said that they would oppose the construction of any type of energy plant or facility in their hometown, down from 23 per cent in 2007.
Seventy-one per cent of Americans said they would support an alternative-energy system in their hometown, including a wind or solar facility, up from 58 per cent last year.
Although a majority of Americans attribute the rapid rise in gas prices to a lack of oil refining capacity in the U.S., eight out of 10 said they oppose the construction of an oil refinery in their hometown.
When asked if the U.S. will ”find a solution to its energy problems in your lifetime,” 66 per cent of survey respondents said no, up from 42 per cent last year. Eight out of 10 Americans polled said they will consider a candidate’s stand on energy issues in this year’s presidential election, an increase from about five out of 10 in 2004.
— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org
blog harvest and YouTube
January 23, 2008
Most Midwesterners have spent a good chunk of their vacations in Colorado. It’s close, it’s cool, it’s gorgeous; good hunting, fishing, hiking, off-road activities, etc.; you can camp and not have to spend money to stay in a hotel…
Colorado is like a big wonderful backyard for many of us, but climate change is threatening that. As Timothy B. Hurst reports on Sustainablog, rising average temperatures are contributing to the spread of a massive pine beetle epidemic that is devastating Colorado forests. And, I might add, after the beetles pass through, intense forest fires often follow.
From Think Progress - the clean coal PR folks (ABEC) sponsored the CNN Democratic presidential candidate debate last night - and, oddly enough, there were no questions asked about global warming. If you read that entry thru there is a great post linked from DeSmogBlog, who got ahold of the “ABEC request for proposals for PR assistance in Nevada, in which it hopes to ‘image and credibility of ABEC’ and increase ‘public awareness of the importance of coal to America’s energy mix.’ One of the key ways it hopes to achieve these goals is through a ‘comprehensive presidential outreach program.’”
Great video clip over on Earthnotes about the recent climate summit in Bali. Papua New Guinea, 1 - U.S., 0.
Energy efficiency notes - from BuildingGreen.com, a fascinating and sobering look at how the boom in small electronics (iPods, cell phones, PDAs, Crackberries I mean Blackberries, big screen TVs, etc.) is contributing to load growth in the U.S. A lot of the problem could be lessened by more efficient batteries and chargers… and of course, by consuming less. *cough cough* (says the woman who just had to buy a new cell phone).
How to help solve the problem now? Beware of phantom loads in your home, make copious use of power strips, don’t overcharge your small electronices - and just generally, check out the CEP energy tips section.
And then just a little spurt of funny … an EnergyStar commercial, for your viewing enjoyment.
— Maril Hazlett
Want to know more about climate and energy in the Midwest? Check out www.climateandenergy.org.
sick of the poll yet…?
January 4, 2008
Of course you aren’t! (Sick of the poll yet.) The following list of poll media coverage is probably not comprehensive because I had to eventually quit messing with it and go do other things. However, it should provide a nice snapshot of what is out there. I have also excerpted some quotables:
Dan Nagengast of the Kansas Rural Center, from the Hutch News (Harris) story:
“I think if you did a national poll you’d see similar results. There’s been a sea change in how people view this issue, and I think legislators would do well to listen and make policy that encourages wind farms.”
Rep. Pat George, R-Dodge City, from the Dodge Globe story:
“(George) said he’s discussed the decision with several of his constituents, and none of them agreed with it. ‘Nobody has approached me that feels he (KDHE Secretary Bremby) did the right thing,’ he said.”
Actually, one of the most interesting quotables came from a related energy article in the Salina Journal. Here is Kansas Representative John Svaty, D-Ellsworth, regarding House Speaker Melvin Neufeld, R-Ingalls, and the upcoming legislative session:
Neufeld already has issued an ultimatum, Svaty said.
“The speaker of the House has said that if we don’t do exactly what he wants to do with Holcomb in the first two weeks, he’ll essentially shut the Legislature down and we won’t get anything through,” said Svaty, whose first term started in 2003. “If I’ve learned anything, it’s that compromise tends to rule the day, and shutting things down doesn’t tend to solve anything.”
Still, gridlock is looking like a distinct possibility, he said.
“What concerns me a little bit is that neither side, neither the speaker’s side nor the governor’s side, seems to be talking about this middle ground that we do need to find in order to move forward,” Svaty said. “That is where, hopefully, the (Energy and Utilities) Committee can find some sort of policy that can move the state of Kansas forward and will be in the best interest of all of the state, not just now but 30 years from now.”
Media coverage of poll results
Kansans say denial of permit was right thing (Salina Journal)
Survey shows support for KDHE decision, wind farms (Topeka Capitol-Journal)
Poll: Most Kansans support blocking construction of coal power plants (Dodge Globe)
Poll: Public backs wind energy, coal decision (Hutch News/ Harris)
Kansas voters agree with decision to block construction of coal plants, poll says (KCStar)
Kansans support decision to nix coal plants, want focus on wind energy (LJWorld)
— Maril Hazlett
Thoughts on the recent poll
January 4, 2008
by Nancy Jackson
CEP Executive Director
Most of you reading this post are by now probably aware of the poll results released yesterday - by a 2 to 1 margin, Kansans approve of the KDHE’s decision to deny air quality permits to Sunflower for building two 700 megawatt coal-fired power plants in western Kansas. In addition, 3 out of 4 Kansans also support more aggressive pursuit of one of our state’s most widely distributed natural resources - wind energy. (For more information you can also see yesterday’s blog post).
Since the poll’s release, CEP has received a lot of interest. One question that several people have asked - why was your organization curious about these issues?
Here’s the answer. It’s pretty simple. When we started the Climate & Energy Project last February, it seemed that everyone – inside and outside the state – had a lot of preconceptions about Kansans’ opinions on climate and energy issues. However, there was little to no hard data to back up these statements. CEP wanted to go beyond the stereotypes, establish a baseline of scientifically gathered information, and find out what Kansans actually DID think.
So, we saved our pennies and commissioned an independent, statewide poll – an objective snapshot of Kansans’ opinions and values regarding climate and energy. And when the results came in, we got two big surprises. When we saw that, 2:1, Kansans support the recent decision to deny permits to two coal-fired power plants – and that fully 75% of us favor more aggressive pursuit of wind energy – CEP had a decision to make.
We opted to release these results precisely because they were so surprising. Secretary Bremby’s decision had been characterized as risky, overreaching, and unpopular. Suddenly, CEP possessed objective, credible data suggesting otherwise. We felt Kansans – our friends, family, and neighbors – had a right to know that.
CEP feels that it is time for an honest, informed, broadly engaged dialogue about our energy future. Kansas needs a fully integrated energy plan. It should not be decided behind closed doors, but rather in a democratic, civil fashion.
There is a great deal at stake. Our energy independence and security as well as our economic resilience depend on the choices that we make today – so does our ability to preserve all that is best about Kansas for our children and theirs.
Exciting new poll! Kansans, coal, KDHE, and wind power
January 3, 2008
In an independent statewide poll, a majority of Kansans agree by a 2:1 margin with KDHE’s recent decision to deny air quality permits for two proposed 700 megawatt coal burning plants in the state. 75% of Kansans also approved more aggressive pursuit of wind energy.
Press Release - 01/03/2008
Contact: Nancy Jackson, CEP Executive Director - jackson at climateandenergy.org
Salina, KS – By a 2:1 margin, Kansans agree with the recent decision to deny air quality permits for two proposed 700-megawatt coal burning plants in their state.
In an independent statewide poll, a majority of Kansans agree with the decision, with overall support rising to fully 70% in the Johnson County region. In western Kansas – the proposed location of the plants – only two in five citizens oppose the decision while 51% favor it.
In another of the survey’s striking findings, an overwhelming majority of Kansans – fully 75% – favor a more aggressive pursuit of wind energy in this, the third windiest state in the nation.
The KDHE decision presents an opportunity to create quality and lasting jobs in Kansas with investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy – opportunities that will save consumers money and stimulate long-term economic resilience and security.
Absent prompt action by Kansas public officials, Kansas will struggle to make good on public support for investments in wind energy – investments other states have aggressively pursued in recent years.
Neighboring states already reap benefits from growing renewable energy investments. Little Rock, Arkansas just broke ground on a new wind turbine factory that will employ 1,000 people within five years. Windsor, Colorado will be home to a Vestas factory that will employ 400. Keokuk, Iowa, will host a turbine tower manufacturing plant that employs 350.
In the past eighteen months, 20 proposed coal-fired projects in 12 states have either failed to gain the needed permits or have been voluntarily canceled by utilities due to public concerns about air pollution, increases in greenhouse gases, rapidly climbing economic costs, and future liability. In July, Citigroup downgraded its financial outlook for coal stocks in 2008 after warning of “grim” future earnings.
“In the wake of the KDHE decision, Kansans have the opportunity to engage in a broad, healthy and constructive discussion about our energy future at a critical time,” said Nancy Jackson, spokesperson for the Climate & Energy Project of The Land Institute.
“Kansans are eager to participate in the clean energy economy of the 21st century. We are counting on our elected and appointed officials to lead the way.”
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This poll was conducted by Cooper & Secrest for The Land Institute. The sample was random and scientific, and over 1,000 surveys were completed by phone. For a detailed .pdf memo from Cooper & Secrest regarding polling methods, click here.
For a .pdf version of this press release, click here. For previous CEP press releases, check In the News on the CEP website.
Edit, 01/04/08: Also see a blog posting on CEP Executive Director Nancy Jackson’s thoughts on the poll, as well as media coverage of the poll results.
For additional resources, follow these links:
- Explore the issues of climate change, fossil fuels, and renewable energy
- Helpful databases to track wind power development and energy efficiency initiatives, state by state
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The Climate & Energy Project (CEP) is a distinct program of The Land Institute, a Salina-based nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the future of food and farmers by developing perennial cropping systems.
CEP facilitates lively, informed conversations about our energy future. We support the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by increasing energy efficiency and developing renewable energy in the Midwest. For more information, please go to www.climateandenergy.org.
