Written by Katia Ramadori, Four Green Steps

In a recent pole by Yale University and George Mason University’s climate change communication program, 58% of American said that protecting the environment would create jobs and improve economic growth. With 25% thinking it would have no effect, which leaves only 17% of Americans saying it would hurt the economy and job growth. Furthermore, when conflict arises in which one must choose protecting the environment or improving the economy, 62% of American said they would choose the environment.

Although Democrats and Republicans differ on many fronts, it would seem that on this issue, they are not on completely different pages. The results show that 91% of Democrats and 70% of Republicans believe that protecting the environment would either improve the economy, or have no effect at all.

The good news continues on the views of renewable energy. A vast majority, being 92%, of participators said that developing a clean energy source should be made a very high, high, or medium priority by the government. Moreover, 68% think that the US should make a large or medium scale effort to reduce global warming even at a high or moderate economic cost.

Although polls like this need to be taken with a grain of salt, it is a good indicator that the American people do want their government to protect the environment and develop clean energy.

Image courtesy of Creative Commons.

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