Increasingly out of touch - by Richard... Thursday, March 18, 2010

Increasingly out of touch - by Richard... Thursday, March 18, 2010

Warned by the invaluable Climate Depot, we learn of a Gallup Poll that tells us Americans are less worried about each of eight specific environmental problems than they were a year ago.

Furthermore, on all but global warming and maintenance of the nation's fresh water supply, concern is the lowest Gallup has ever measured. Americans worry most about drinking-water pollution and least about global warming.

Making for a fascinating snapshot, we see that, over time, Americans' concerns about environmental problems have generally declined. After this year's drop, for six of the eight items, the percentage who worry "a great deal" is at the lowest point Gallup has measured, which in some cases dates to 1989. 

The two exceptions are global warming (low point was 24% in 1997) and maintenance of the nation's fresh water supply for household needs (35% in 2001).


Gallup hazards that one major reason why Americans may be less worried about environmental problems is that they perceive environmental conditions in the United States to be improving. And if that is the case, it seems they are prepared to believe their own eyes, rather than listen to the hype.

It would be fascinating to learn whether the UK parallels this trend. Most likely it does – but even the US experience suggests that the green movement has failed to sustain its Armageddon agenda.

Another issue though, of special importance, is the degree of concern about tropical rain forests. Despite being a poster child of the warmists, the level here is at an absolute all-time low, down to 33 percent from 42 percent in 1989.

What makes this special, amongst other things, is that as public subscriptions to environmental groups such as WWF is actually going down, the proportion of their income from trusts and foundations, governments and corporate is actually going up, with a huge increase in spending on Amazon projects.

Thus, these figure – to a certain extent – measure not only public sentiment but the growing divide between us and our rulers and the corporate world. Never in the field of human history, perhaps, have so many been out of touch with the public.

CLIMATE CHANGE – END GAME

Print ready

Meanie greenies - by Richard... Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Delingpole is out in force today, picking up on the meanie greenies, commenting on research that shows greenies or more likely to lie, steal and cheat – and sell their grandmothers into slavery.

However, it could be the other way around. People who are disposed towards lying, stealing and cheating – and selling their grandmothers into slavery – could be the types who tend to gravitate towards greenery ... or politics, or both.

Anyhow, it is a fascinating thesis, and one that seems to stack up. The more you peel back the façade of greenery, the more you find the money agenda behind it – seriously big money.

And that is what I'll be doing today. The research project I've started is developing a life of its own, and time pressure is crowding in. Blogging, perforce, is going to be light, but it should be worth it, jacking up the campaign into a whole new dimension.

CLIMATE CHANGE – END GAME