|
The Joint Senate/House Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee this week released a survey of environmental attitudes in Pennsylvania which showed 59 percent of residents consider themselves environmentalists, down from 63 percent in 2003, but consistent with recent results.
The environmental attitude questions were included in the annual Mansfield University “The Public Mind Survey.”
Those people who consider themselves environmentalist generally “walk the walk” by supporting, contributing and taking actions to support the environment, rather than those who consider themselves not to be environmentalists as seen below.
|
Activity |
“Environmentalist” |
“Not Environmentalist” |
|
Recycle cans |
90.5 % |
72.1% |
|
Refuse to buy harmful product |
59.8% |
24.8% |
|
Contributed money |
53.4% |
17% |
|
Vote for E-candidate |
58.4% |
15.7% |
|
Spend more for Wind Powered Electricity |
67.5% |
49.1% |
|
Volunteer Work |
33.3% |
16.5% |
|
Member of Group |
17% |
7% |
Interestingly, relatively few people on either side are members of organized environmental groups, but they both like to recycle and surprisingly both would pay more for electricity generated from wind power.
For the first time, the Joint Committee included questions related to the public’s attitude toward the environment affecting their individual health—78 percent feel there is a relationship between the quality of the environment and public health, 67 percent feel the quality of the environment in their community has affected their health, 67 percent feel the environment in their home has affected their health and 70 percent said the quality of the environment in their workplace has affected their health.
Fifty-three percent said they have learned something about how the environment impacts public health that has caused them to change their environmental point of view.
What does the typical Pennsylvania environmentalist look like? According to this survey—74 percent of those 65+ who responded called themselves environmentalists, 45 percent from age 18 to 34; nearly 62 percent of females and 56 percent of males; 61 percent of whites, 43 percent of Blacks; 67 percent of rural residents and 57 percent of urban; 64 percent of Democrats, 56 percent of Republicans, 61 percent of Independents.
When other polls like the non-profit group IssuesPA try to gauge how important people think environmental issues are compared to crime, education or health care, the environment barely shows up, however, the environment can be a wedge issue in individual races and for some likely voters.
For more on the survey, see the Joint Committee’s July newsletter. The Joint Committee is chaired by Rep. Scott Hutchinson (R-Venango).
|
