Yale Poll: Overwhelming support for renewable energy.

More evidence the Administration and Congress are completely out of touch with the American peoples views.  A recent survey by the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies finds overwhelming support for renewable energy and strong support for federal involvement in developing renewable energy sources and environmental protection.

The results of this survey are important and the MSM has failed to report on this.  We need to get this information out there.

ENS Across all regions of the country and every demographic group, there is broad support for a new emphasis on finding alternative energy sources. Building more solar power facilities is considered a “good idea” by 90 percent of the public; 87 percent support expanded wind farms; and 86 percent want increased funding for renewable energy research.

Counter to Bush’s and the Congress’s refusal to increase mileage standards, the American public has broad and near complete support for increasing automobile efficiency.

Results of the poll indicate that 93 percent of Americans say requiring the auto industry to make cars that get better gas mileage is a good idea. Just 6 percent say it is a bad idea.

This sentiment varies little by political leaning, with 96 percent of Democrats and Independents and 86 percent of Republicans supporting the call for more fuel-efficient vehicles.

These findings come just after Congress rejected a proposal to require sport utility vehicles and minivans to become more fuel-efficient and achieve the same gasoline mileage as passenger cars.

We want more, not less federal involvement in energy and environmental policies.

Asked, “Do you think {federal government/state government/local government] does too much, about right the right amount or not enough for the environment”, 68% believe the Feds should do more.

                    Federal State    Local

Should do much more.    49    45    42

Should do more.            19    17    17

Right amount.            20    29    32

Does too much.             7     4     4

Those who state that environmental protection is bad for the economy do not fool Americans.  When asked if they agreed with the following statement:

You don’t have to sacrifice environmental protection to get economic growth.  The choice between jobs and the environment is a false one: we can have both.

75% of the respondents agreed.

You can download the Survey Questions and Surveys Key Findings.

Come on Congress; follow the led of the American people, not your myopic President.  Give us the strong environmental and sound energy policies we want.

This is an important survey, please let your Senators and Reps know about it.

Postscript:  I posted this diary a few days ago at DKos (Petewsh61)  Didn’t get much response there.  Saw the diary here “What’s your main political concern?” and read that many of you list the environment as one of your top priorities.  So, I felt I should give the BooMan a try.

Author: petewsh61

I'm a forty something father of an amazing 8 year-old girl, a college prof (ecology/conservation), and wind farm GIS consultant. Ocean kayaker, wildlife tracker, electronics hacker, and 2x4 wacker.