Interpreting A Poll | Green Energy News

November 6, 2007 – Vol.12 No. 33

INTERPRETING A POLL.

BBC World Service has released an extensive poll on perceptions of climate change and energy. Globally, the survey was extensive: a rather large sample of more than 22,000 respondents in 21 countries.

Of the results the most profound was this: “Substantial majorities in all countries polled (83% overall) say it will be necessary for people in their country to “make changes in their lifestyle and behavior” to reduce the emission of climate-changing gases.” (The quote is from the World Public Opinion.org who helped conduct the poll.)

On the surface that sounds like we’re ready to go, four out of five of us are ready to make to take steps, even sacrifices, to save energy, cut emissions. Hurrah, hurrah.

But beneath the surface there is some good and some bad news.

The good is that 83 percent have given the global warming/climate change/energy problem some thought. (This is reflected throughout the poll in other results as well.) Thinking is a good first step.

The bad news is that while four out of five think that people in their respective countries will have to make changes in lifestyle and behavior to cut emissions, doesn’t mean that they, the four of five respondents, necessarily will.

If they think individuals will have to make changes why don’t they do so now, when it’s needed? Now is when people need to begin to make changes, not some future date.

The question respondents answered to was “Will individuals need to change lifestyle and behavior to reduce the amount to climate changing gases produced?”

Sure it’s easy for 83 percent to say yes to that. Anyone who is a believer in human-induced climate change would say yes to that.

But that’s not saying that respondents will necessarily make sacrifices. It says that others will have to. It’s easy for people to agree that others should take action on about anything, but have they done so themselves? Now?

Sorry to be cynical and picky but a guess is that only one or two percent of the population globally is actually taking minimal action right now, when it’s needed and possible to do so.

For example I’ve taken a very unscientific poll based on some knowledge jammed in my head.

Of the 100 or so friends, relatives and acquaintances whose lifestyles and spending habits I am somewhat familiar with, I believe that eight (thus eight percent) have made a concerted effort and some investment in recent years to cut energy consumption and greenhouse gases. In that group of eight, four bought hybrid cars, two bought more efficient conventional cars to replace gas hungry ones, one has a high efficiency furnace along with a large number of compact fluorescent bulbs and one put in an on-demand hot water heater. That’s it.

Nearly all of the 100 are college educated. There are a few PhD’s in the group, along with lawyers, engineers, school teachers, and business owners. At one time or another nearly all of them have heard my rantings on energy and global warming.

So my statistical sample is fairly sizable and involves people I’d generally consider likely to be aware of and take action on climate change. But I don’t think my sample is typical of society as a whole.

The real question that should have been asked is how many are making cuts today. That I’m afraid is very small number. There’s a long, long way to go on this global emission cutting project we’re now in.

The survey was conducted for BBC World Service by the international polling firm GlobeScan together with World Public Opinion.org and the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) between 29 May and 26 July, 2007. Interviews were conducted face-to-face or by telephone.

(For the record, I buy 100-percent renewable energy for my house (not renewable energy certificates). I use compact fluorescent bulbs where practicable and task lighting instead of general overhead illumination. The new car I just purchased gets about 10 percent better mileage than the last. I’ve upgraded my attic insulation and instead of replacing the central air conditioning in my house I use window units. (For an investment of $127 (one window unit, the others were free) I’ve saved nearly $2000 in cooling season energy costs of the last 3 years with minimal discomfort. Point of use air conditioning, like window AC, cools what needs to be cooled and nothing else.)

Links:

The poll is available at World Public Opinion
http://www.worldpublicopinion.org