A new poll conducted by Stanford University and funded by the National Science Foundation finds overwhelming public support for government action to curb carbon pollution and shift America towards a clean energy economy.
Of the 1,000 adults polled, most want the federal government to start limiting carbon pollution.
- 86 % “said they wanted the federal government to limit the amount of air pollution that businesses emit.”
- 76 % “favored government limiting business’s emissions of greenhouse gases in particular”
When asked about the causes of climate change,
- 75% said that “human behavior was substantially responsible for any warming that has occurred”
Large majorities favor government action to require or encourage the manufacturing of more energy efficiency goods.
- 81% want more fuel efficient cars that use less gasoline
- 80% want more appliances that use less electricity
- 80% want more home and office buildings that require less energy to heat and cool
Another new poll conducted by Knowledge Networks and designed by researchers Yale University and George Mason University shows that the vast majority of the public believes that the president and congress should make global warming and clean energy priorities. Over 1,000 adults were survey in May and June of this year and the results are no surprise: the public wants government to take action now.
- 77% believe that global warming should be a priority for the president and congress
- 94 % believe that developing sources of clean energy should be a priority for the president and congress
- 87% believe that the United States should make an effort to reduce global warming, even if it has economic costs.
- 77% support regulating carbon dioxide(the primary greenhouse gas) as a pollutant
As the oil in the Gulf continues to flow, the American people are sending a strong message to Congress. They want federal regulation of carbon pollution and real investment in clean energy now. We know the dangers of our addiction to oil and fossil fuels. Let’s not fail to harvest the one and only redeeming quality of this Gulf tragedy, its power to move a nation to finally kick our fossil fuel addiction and more forward into a new clean energy future.
It is common knowledge that once an addict hits rock bottom, the traumatic nature of the event causes a profound shock to his system. It also serves as a wake-up call, a true inflection point. The message playing in the addict’s head goes something like this: change now or self-destruct.
With pelicans and dolphins soaked in oil plastered on the front of every newspaper and Gulf coast fisherman hanging onto their livelihoods by a thread, I think it is safe to say we have hit rock bottom.
Are we ready to change or self-destruct?
As the polls above prove, the American people want change. The time is now to take the first steps away from oil and towards a new era of clean energy independence.
We’ve hit rock bottom. Now let’s start on the path to recovery.
