April 16, 2012

The Decline of Greenism

By Bruce Walker
An April 9 Gallup Poll shows that since 2006, radical environmentalism has been losing influence  in America.  Gallup results are even  more dramatic when viewed over the last couple of decades: worry about water pollution dropped from consuming 72% of Americans in 1989 to perturbing 46% in March 2011; worry about air pollution since 1989 dropped from 63% to 36% in 2011.  When Gallup asks Americans to prioritize environmental concerns or economic concerns, the same pattern emerges.  In the latest poll on the subject, 54% favor economic growth and 36% favor the environment.   Pew Research polls on global warming show a similar loss of trust in radical environmentalism.  In 2006, the percentage of Americans who believe that there is "solid evidence" of global warming was 77%, but in 2011, only 63% believed that.  Pew also shows that the percentage of Americans who do not believe in global warming or feel that there is not enough evidence rose...(Read Full Article)