Americans are seriously concerned about the country’s environmental health and want more political action on the environment at the national and international levels, according to a survey of 1,000 adults nationwide by the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. Eighty-four percent of those polled say the environment will be a factor in their vote in November. Thirty-five percent consider it a "major factor."
"This poll underscores that Americans are concerned about the environment and want environmental jobs, and they want the federal government to take action to protect it," said Gus Speth, dean of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.
"It shows that the positions the presidential candidates hold on the environment will likely be a significant factor in the voting behavior of Americans this November," he said.
While the country is profoundly divided when it comes to national politics, the poll found that Americans of all political persuasions are as troubled by the problems of air pollution and toxic contamination of soil and water as they are by the much higher-profile issues of jobs and the cost of gas.
"The environment rates as one of the top three challenges facing the United States in the decades ahead," wrote the Global Strategy Group, which conducted the survey. "There is also a new environmental concern in post-September 11th America – specifically bio-terrorism and the security of the country’s food and water supply." Some 59 percent of those surveyed rate the quality of the country’s environment overall as "only fair" or "poor," while just three percent say America’s environment is "excellent." Only 16 percent said that the quality of the environment in the United States is getting better, while 50 percent said it is getting worse.
In regards to global environmental conditions, some 75 percent rank them as "only fair" or poor, and 63 percent say conditions are getting worse.
"There is a real concern on the part of the majority of Americans when it comes to the overall quality of our environment," said Speth, "and people are genuinely concerned that it is only going to get worse. Moreover, the public perceives a huge deficit between its aspirations for environmental protection and what our politics actually delivers."
According to the poll, 67 percent say the United States government does not do enough about the environment and should do more.
But the economy still tops the environment when it comes to the top issue of concern. When forced to choose between protecting the environment and maintaining a strong economy, a majority, 54 percent, of the Americans surveyed choose to keep the economy growing. Thirty-six percent of those polled said that protecting the environment should be a top priority, even if that means higher consumer prices.
"Political pundits usually dismiss the environment as an issue that affects elections because they think people do not listen when politicians talk about it – clearly, that is not the case," said Yale Professor Dan Esty, who took the lead in developing the poll with national polling firm Global Strategy Group.
More than half those surveyed said that the candidates should talk more about their plans for the environment.
Eighty-four percent believe the United States should enact stricter emissions and pollution standards for business and industry.
The phone survey was conducted by professional interviewers from April 26 to May 3. The nationwide sample was drawn from a random digit dial process. Respondents were over the age of 18. The survey has an overall margin of error of 3.1 percent at the 95 percent confidence level. That is, if the same survey were conducted among similar respondents, the results would fall within the range of 3.1 percent in 19 out of 20 cases.
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