Today we
are releasing our latest report: Americans' Actions to Conserve Energy, Reduce Waste,
and Limit Global Warming in May 2011. Since
June 2010, there has been a drop in a few energy conservation
behaviors, but an increase in some consumer activism. For example:
·
45 percent of Americans report that they often or always
set the thermostat to 68 degrees or cooler in the winter, an 11-point
drop since 2010.
·
Americans say they are less likely to walk or bike,
instead of driving, than in 2010.
·
Americans became slightly more pessimistic that their
own, other Americans', or people in industrialized countries' actions
to save energy would reduce global warming a lot or some.
·
45 percent of Americans say that they have rewarded
companies that are taking steps to reduce global warming, by buying
their products; an increase of 12 percent since June 2010.
·
Over the next 12 months, 55 percent of Americans intend
to reward or punish companies for their global warming-related
behavior, by either buying or boycotting their products.
·
18 percent of Americans say they have volunteered or
donated money to an organization working to reduce global warming,
while 13 percent have posted a comment online in response to a news story
or blog about global warming.
·
10 percent of Americans have written a letter, email, or
phoned a government official about global warming. Of these, 77 percent
urged officials to take action, while 20 percent urged them not to take
action to reduce global warming.
A copy of
the report can be downloaded here .
