It seems that 3/4 of Americans believe that Global Warming is real and know that it's an important issue. They just don't see it as an immediate threat, so they don't really need to change their ways. According to the article, "The issue ranked last on a list of 20 compelling issues, behind things like terrorism and the economy."
Maybe they should be talking to the South Pacific islands that are begging us to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, lest they disappear into the sea. Or the dead penguins washing up on beaches in Rio de Janeiro.
So it seems that the American Psychological Association did some research to figure out why people won't make changes. Here's what they came up with:
- Uncertainty – Research has shown that uncertainty over climate change reduces the frequency of "green" behavior.
- Mistrust – Evidence shows that most people don't believe the risk messages of scientists or government officials.
- Denial – A substantial minority of people believe climate change is not occurring or that human activity has little or nothing to do with it, according to various polls.
- Undervaluing Risks – A study of more than 3,000 people in 18 countries showed that many people believe environmental conditions will worsen in 25 years. While this may be true, this thinking could lead people to believe that changes can be made later.
- Lack of Control – People believe their actions would be too small to make a difference and choose to do nothing.
- Habit – Ingrained behaviors are extremely resistant to permanent change while others change slowly. Habit is the most important obstacle to pro-environment behavior, according to the report.
1 comments:
Big sigh.
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