Survey: Most unwilling to make changes to end global warming

[jpak]

http://www.sungazette.com/news/articles.asp?articleID=17212

MANSFIELD — A recent Mansfield University survey of Pennsylvania residents found that more people now believe that global warming is occurring and is a man-made problem. However, few seem willing to take action to change it.

That is according to the Mansfield University State Survey of 2007, conducted in February and March by university students, and directed by professors Timothy Madigan and Janice Purk.

“The results indicate that belief in global warming is growing stronger. Seven out of 10 people now believe it is occurring. This level of agreement is up from about five out of ten in 1999—a significant shift in public opinion,” Madigan said.

Most people do not believe there is much that they can do individually, however, Madigan added.

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[nebenaube]

1. hmmm...

If they made income below $150K/yr that was earned within walking distance of one's primary residence totally tax free for a three year period with a more common tax credit after that then I think that we'd see a rearrangement in lifestyles. It's not hard to do.

[kestrel91316]

2. We can change our lifestyles voluntarily, or they will be changed

for us, involuntarily.

[TheWraith]

3. Grossly deceptive headline.

The "changes" that most people were unwilling or unable to make were things like buying a windmill and becoming vegetarians. Well, duh, most people aren't willing to do those things. For that matter, how many people in Pittsburgh or Philadelphia do you think have room to own a windmill? How many people can afford the $15,000 or so that it takes to buy a solar system, with no return on investment for at least five to ten years? Morons. Try starting with things that people can and will actually do. For that matter, a bunch of the things that they ask wether people would be willing to do, such as washing dishes by hand, vegetarianism, and composting food scraps, have little or nothing to do with global warming.

[nannah]

4. people need concrete ways to make changes, ie. the kind of cars available

in europe, that offer marked change in fuel or fuel consumption; solar technology available at Home Depot; clear information on energy alternative housing, with costs and models visible to see and walk through; stores full of organic, locally produced food. this is not a rant, but a reflection on how conditioned we are to expect answers to come in the market place.

Another real cost of our malignant, self serving leadership in the arena energy and global climate issues has been the lack of effort put into creating solutions. the "create doubt with paid for experts" strategy worked so well for the tobacco industry, delaying and confusing public response to keep the cigarette market puffing and profits flowing as long as possible, it was immediately applied to climate and energy issues with equally good effect in the beginning. And that success has had a cost to all, the loss of time. the loss of early intervention. the loss of years of creativity, ingenuity, and energy for solving a problen and improving life for all; the loss of focus on a frontier equal to the intelligence and creativity characteristic of human as they quest forward in their efforts for survival and understanding.

trade of goods is as old as humans; flint knappers traded their knives to others who did not have the skill; in exchange, they got a cloak of fur from a hunter with a fine eye; one woman's skill in healing brings new skills to all who she teaches. one person's ingenuity benefits other. a spirit of cooperation inspires genius; a spirit of competition inspires winning, not always the same thing.

[phantom power]

5. I don't see why we can't all fuel our hummers with sustainable baby seal oil.

[razzleberry]

6. political leadership tells the middle class to sacrifice

yah, dat will work

.......................
tax on jet fuel for international flight is zero, not a penny.
tax on jet fuel for domestic US flight is four cents a gallon.

[ramapo]

7. People are willing...

They'll do anything necessary to help the environment as long as it doesn't mean changing their lifestyle, driving smaller cars, living less consumptive lives, or having to think about much of anything besides what is on TV tonight.

[hunter]

8. Many will have to move when living where they do becomes impossible.

No food, no work, maybe the ocean drowning their cities.

By then they won't be able to afford a high energy lifestyle anymore, so the change will be forced upon them.

These things always work themselves out.

B-)

[phantom power]

9. Demand destruction -- we'll be saved!

Well, the survivors will be saved. But they'll be saved!

:(

[Daedelus76]

10. the survey is misleading

You don't have to purchase a hybrid car to reduce your CO2 emissions. Other things you could do, that would do the same thing:

1) purchase a house closer to your work
2) walk to work
3) ride a bicycle to work
4) ride a motorcycle/scooter to work
5) purchase a more fuel efficient vehicle

Also, there are good reasons for people not wanting to put up solar panels on their rooves. They are expensive, for starters, and don't quickly pay for themselves. They are also not permitted in many home developements. It may not be that people hate the environment, they just aren't willing to spend alot of extra money... especially when they may not have extra money to spend. What do you want these people to live off, ramen noodles?

People are clearly not willing to forgo alot of modern conveniences, like automatic dishwares and clothes driers. I don't think that means that it is a lost cause. Improvements can still be made here, too. Like using advanced fabrics like polyester, which reduces washing temperatures. Or hand drying dishes that come from a dishwasher. Things like that, that don't totally get rid of the environmental benefits, but that are still relatively convenient for people to do.

No, the real people who should pick up the tab for global warming- global corporations. They are the predominant CO2 producers on the planet. Make them pay.

[4dsc]

11. Peak oil has the same effect

you could inform the whole nation about peak oil and I bet they wouldn't do a damn thing about it..

[One_Life_To_Give]

12. Where is the Carrot in making changes

For most people makeing sacrifices to reduce Climate Change has no tangible reward. They may agree were slipping into a modern hell but don't see a difference between the self imposed hell and the climate imposed hell. So they wont be taking any substantial action early. Unless you bring out the big stick and start arresting people for driving Hummers or failure to use Compact Florescents.

People need a vision of a place that they really want to go to. Maybe a world out of the pages of Buck Rogers where electric monorails glide silently thru the skies. Gray smoggy skies are confined to images in text books. If were not prepared to give people a real positive place/environment/vision/life to get to. Then we best start preparing the Imperial Storm Troopers as they will then only move at the point of a gun. IMHO

[phantom power]

13. The carrot is that we get to live.

But it's the perrenial problem that the sacrifices are in the present, and the benefit is in the future. It's also the trap of the "prevented problem." You make sacrifices, and take preventative measures, and if it works... nothing happens. Of course, that's the point, but it's all too easy for our monkey-brains to say "hey, I made all these sacrifices and nothing happened."

It's also the Spanish-prisoner problem: If I make sacrifices, and nobody else does, then I lose. You can see this very nicely at the geopolitical level, with all the various countries pointing fingers and saying "you go first -- we aren't going to damage our economies by cutting emissions while you don't."

So, there are at least three deep-seated psychological barriers to doing anything about this.

Clever monkeys, but not wise.

[One_Life_To_Give]

15. Reason why the Risk/Benefit perception must change

There is no compelling reason for people to make major sacrifices, only minor sacrifices. Putting in Compact Florescents, or maybe an SUV that gets 26 instead of 22 MPG.

[YankeyMCC]

14. Most are disconnected from the land they live on

Improve the sense of connection between the local ecology and you'll improve the willingness to adapt.

For example getting people out of their cars doesn't just help by reducing the amount of CO2 put out but also allows the people who are now on foot and bikes to see the environment and not just whiz by, and see the impact and notice the changes.