(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The views of adults in the United States on the quality of their environment are shifting, according to a poll by Gallup. 41 per cent of respondents think things are getting better, up 12 points since 2005.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The views of adults in the United States on the quality of their environment are shifting, according to a poll by Gallup. 41 per cent of respondents think things are getting better, up 12 points since 2005.
Still, a majority of respondents—51 per cent—believe the quality of the environment as a whole is getting worse, down 12 points in four years.
Overall, 39 per cent of respondents rate the overall quality of the environment in the U.S. as excellent or good, while 61 per cent deem it only fair or poor.
Members of the U.S. Congress are currently discussing the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES), which sets the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. by 20 per cent below 2005 levels in 2020, 40 per cent below 2005 in 2030, and 83 per cent below 2005 in 2050.
On Apr. 22, U.S. president Barack Obama discussed his views on the environment, saying, "The choice we face is not between saving our environment and saving our economy. The choice we face is between prosperity and decline. We can remain the world’s leading importer of oil, or we can become the world’s leading exporter of clean energy."
Polling Data
Right now, do you think the quality of the environment in the country as a whole is getting better or getting worse?
|
Mar. 2009 |
Mar. 2005 |
Mar. 2001 |
|
|
Getting better |
41% |
29% |
36% |
|
Getting worse |
51% |
63% |
57% |
|
The same |
5% |
6% |
5% |
|
No opinion |
2% |
2% |
2% |
How would you rate the overall quality of the environment in this country today?
|
Mar. 2009 |
Mar. 2005 |
Mar. 2001 |
|
|
Excellent |
5% |
4% |
5% |
|
Good |
34% |
37% |
41% |
|
Only fair |
45% |
48% |
47% |
|
Poor |
16% |
10% |
6% |
|
No opinion |
– |
1% |
1% |
Source: Gallup
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,012 American adults, conducted from Mar. 3 to Mar. 5, 2009. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
