Are Money Problems Clouding Our Eco-Judgment?

Do you care less about the challenges facing Mother Nature today as opposed to how you felt just one year ago? If the October 2009 Global Warming survey administered by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press is any indication, the answer to that question is a stupifying yes. Granted, the cross section of 1,500 adults they interviewed is miniscule in comparison to the 308,162,000 total residents who presently live in our country, but the Pew Research Center's surveys are meant to offer a snapshot in time regarding our general thoughts and feelings. The last several eco-themed research sessions they conducted -- back in 2006, 2007 & 2008 -- found that approximately 77% of the population was troubled by global warming issues, whereas today that number has dropped to 57%. When asked how serious a problem they believe global warming to be, 35% of all respondents interviewed in 2009 said that it is very serious, whereas in 2008, 44% offered the same answer. Furthermore, 57% believe that there is solid evidence of climate change (down from 71% in 2008) -- and among political parties, 75% of Democrats said they could see solid evidence, followed by 53% of Independents and 35% of Republicans. When asked the same question back in 2008, convictions were stronger at 83%, 75% and 49% respectively.

All of these numbers detract from the fact that there is a distinctive trend developing -- the average American doesn't seem to be nearly as focused on the reality of global warming as they were in years past. In fact, while 36% of surveyed adults feel that the environmental challenges we are presently grappling with are the result of human activity, that figure that has dropped by more than 10% from 2008 perspectives. It's hard to imagine that the majority of people out there are choosing to wear blinders -- even if you are skeptical of scientific claims, our wild and wacky weather patterns are the most obvious physical proof we all have that things are a little off kilter. So, what's the real deal? Why are we less inclined right now to buy into the notion of an ailing environment? Perhaps we can look toward the data gathered by another famous research firm for answers.

Gallup has been asking Americans one particular question throughout their 25 year history, namely: "Which one of these statements about the environment and the economy do you most agree with -- protection of the environment should be given priority, even at the risk of curbing economic growth or vice versa?" 2009 responses demonstrate that our recessionary times have significantly impacted our view about how serious climate change really is, noting that, "Americans are more willing than ever to forgo protection of the environment if needed in order to ensure economic growth or the production of energy." While the economic strength of our country is certainly a positive goal to aspire to, there is no reason why each and every one of us can't do our part -- no matter our budgetary constraints -- to combat global warming in our own backyard.

Living a greener lifestyle categorically saves money, from incorporating home efficiency upgrades and installing LEDs to turning lights out when we leave a room and putting on a sweater rather than bumping up the thermostat. There's no need to run water at full force while we're brushing our teeth, either -- the faucet can just as easily be turned off and our choppers won't be the wiser. Ditto for shaving while we're in the shower or saving grey water to irrigate our non-edible household landscaping. If we think back to the habits of our grandparents, we are reminded that living consciously and practically makes perfect sense both monetarily and environmentally. It's high time that we stop using the current state of the economy as a convenient scapegoat for our wavering eco-attitude and get with the program. Real environmental strides can only occur when we stop pointing fingers and start making a conscious effort to become a part of the solution.