Survey: 81% of US Energy Consumers Are Concerned About Climate Change
22 August 2007
In a recent survey conducted by Energy Insights, an IDC Company, 81% of respondents indicated concern about climate change.
When participants in Energy Insights National Residential Online Panel were asked specifically about their concern regarding the effects of climate change, 51% of respondents said they are very concerned and 30% said they are somewhat concerned. Only 5% indicated they are not concerned at all about climate change.
Regarding what they think is the single most important energy-related issue facing the United States today, respondents were divided, with the most common choice being gasoline prices (29%), followed by dependence on foreign oil (25%) and then climate change (17%).
When asked who among government bodies, private businesses, and individuals should take the lead on combating climate change, the largest group of respondents (37%), said no one should take the lead; every group should contribute. Thirty-four percent (34%) of respondents felt the federal government should take the lead, while only 3% of respondents responded that electric and natural gas utilities should have a lead role.
Although respondents did not think that utilities should take the lead, they did indicate that utilities should take some course of action. More than half (52%) said that electric and natural gas companies have a major responsibility (10 on a 10-point scale) in combating climate change. Another 32% rated electric and natural gas utilities’ responsibility in combating climate change a 7, 8, or 9. Moreover, sixty percent (60%) of respondents said their local utility companies are not doing enough to combat climate change.
When asked whether they have taken action in the last 12 months to limit their carbon dioxide emissions to help reduce climate change, well over half of respondents (64%) reported having done so. The majority said they have used less heat and air conditioning (63%), washed clothes in colder temperatures (59%), and replaced standard light bulbs with CFLs in the last year (52%). Further, the majority of respondents (59%) are willing to pay $1 per month or more on their monthly utility bills to support utility and government efforts to limit the effects of climate change. Twenty-nine percent (29%) of respondents said they are not willing to pay extra on their monthly utility bills.
To understand residential utility customer concerns about climate change, Energy Insights surveyed 498 members of the Energy Insights National Residential Online Panel, all of whom were US residents. Data was collected using an online survey in June 2007.
Interesting that most of these people have also acted on their convictions. This is a good sign.
Posted by: marcus | 22 August 2007 at 02:07 PM
This is a big progress. After all, another Category-5 Hurricane Dean has come and gone. Luckily it did not go thru a country/city, otherwise it could have been another Katrina.
Fluorescent bulbs, portable heater/airconditioners, hybrid vehicles can do a lot to reduce the global warming.
Posted by: Max Reid | 22 August 2007 at 02:26 PM
I had to click through to the survey to see who was surveyed. That's sloppy writing.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 23 August 2007 at 07:28 PM
Bah! Unrealistic assumptions as to the cost of combating climate change are presented in this study.
The data suggests that combating climate change will require about 1% of global GDP, at the minimum. GDP in the US was about USD13.2 Trillion last year; with the "Gasoline, fuel oil, and other energy goods" account at USD340 Billion (or 2.6% of GDP). By applying the 1% GDP estimate -- USD132 Billion -- as a tax against all forms of energy, one would expect something more like a 33% (132/340) excise for all units of energy sold based on last years spend.
Asking the question, "Would you want to pay 33% more for each unit of energy you consume, indefinitely, in order to combat climate change?" Probably, would yield a substantially different result.
Posted by: km519 | 24 August 2007 at 07:36 AM