Majority of Americans support more drilling, more conservation Andrew McLemore

Published: Saturday August 9, 2008





Print This Email This A new poll shows that a majority of Americans support more drilling even in protected areas (63 percent), while seven in 10 said they are trying to reduce their carbon footprint, mainly through using less electricity, driving less and recycling, ABC News reported. The poll, a combined effort of ABC News, Stanford University and Planet Green, found that 44 percent favored building more nuclear power plants -- not a majority, but still higher than the number has been in 28 years. Sixty-four percent of Americans rated "finding new energy sources" as more important than improving conservation. Most Republicans support offshore drilling, while most Democrats do not. Barack Obama shifted on this position last week, saying that he would consider more drilling as a possible compromise. Support for alternative energy sources has been greater in past polls, while objections to offshore drilling and nuclear power have decreased, indicating the anxiety many feel about the deepening energy crisis. This is good news for Senator John McCain, whose long-term vision for energy policy is to break foreign dependence by increasing domestic production and alternative energies, the Associated Press reported in a comparison of the two candidates' positions. Obama's long-term vision also focuses on developing alternative energy sources, but opts for conservation rather than ramping up production. Americans' worries may be tied to global warming, of which 8 in 10 said was probably happening. Two-thirds said the US government should act on the problem even if other countries do less, and a majority said they would support a cap-and-trade system that is intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Senators John McCain and Barack Obama both support a cap-and-trade system, according to Newsweek. Almost three-quarters of those surveyed believed global warming could only be overcome through individuals willing to make large lifestyle changes. Obama and McCain have both preached that idea. Obama: "Energy independence will require an all-hands-on-deck effort from Americaeffort from our scientists and entrepreneurs; from businesses and from every American citizen All of us will need to buy more fuel-efficient cars and find ways to improve efficiency We can do this because we are Americans. We do the improbable." McCain: "Venture capitalists, corporate planners, small businesses and environmentalists [are] all working to the same good purpose Together, we will break the power of OPEC over the United States That is what this country can do when we see a danger, and declare a purpose and, find the will to act." The full PDF of the polls' results can be viewed here.