Public Pulse

Americans paying more attention to energy efficiency

OurFuture.org Staff — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:38:41 -0400

Seventy-two percent of members of the International Facility Management Association said they pay more attention to energy efficiency, up 10 percent since last year.

American's electricity use to increase by 30 percent over next 20 years

Robert Dorst2 — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:24:00 -0400

According to the Energy Information Administration's Annual Energy Outlook 2008, U.S. demand for electricity will increase by 30 percent between 2006 and 2030.

Health Care Costs Top Voter Concerns

Alex Carter — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:01:31 -0400

Voters are increasingly angry about an economy in which wages are flat and costs keep rising. Costs cause the most tension, especially health care. Even as the housing crisis was breaking, a Wall Street Journal poll of adults from July 2007 found that “the cost of health care” ranked as the biggest economic issue (44%), with “jobs going overseas” ranking second (34%).

A January 2008 Washington Post poll of adults identified “health care cost” as the biggest problem (24%) followed immediately by “rising prices overall” (23%), especially gasoline (16%). Tellingly, people ranked “high taxes” near the bottom (12%).

Americans Want to Invest in a Clean Energy Economy

Bill Scher — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 09:59:13 -0500

64% of Americans are willing to pay higher taxes on gasoline and other fuels if the money were used for research into renewable sources like solar and wind energy.

75% of Americans are willing to pay more for electricity if it were generated by renewable sources like solar or wind energy.

Americans believe global warming effects are apparent.

Isaiah J. Poole — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 11:01:23 -0400

76% of Americans believe the effects of global warming are apparent now, including 50% who strongly believe this.

Americans want their government to lead on clean energy.

Isaiah J. Poole — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 09:58:15 -0500

66% of Americans in a 2006 post-election poll support government taking the lead in promoting alternative energy rather than allowing businesses to make major energy investment decisions.

Americans believe we need to lessen our dependence on foreign oil.

Robert Dorst2 — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 09:55:10 -0500

64% of Americans believe that America “needs to act immediately to make our country less dependent on oil and move to cleaner, alternative energy sources.