Concern about global warming among U.S. adults has dropped significantly, a new poll says, with fewer than 50 percent of Americans saying they are “somewhat” or “very worried” — a 13 percent decrease from a poll taken in October 2008.

The percentage of Americans who believe global warming is occurring fell 14 percent to 57 percent, and the percentage who think global warming is caused primarily by human activities fell 10 percent to 47 percent, according to the poll funded by the Yale Project on Climate Change and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication.

The poll also found that 40 percent of the public now believes there is a lot of disagreement among scientists over whether global warming is occurring. Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Project on Climate Change, suggested that rising unemployment, frustration with Washington, and the divisive health care debate have pushed climate change out of the news.

And the recent controversy over e-mails hacked from a U.K.-based institution, he said, had eroded public trust in climate science.

“Despite growing scientific evidence that global warming will have serious impacts worldwide, public opinion is moving in the opposite direction,” he said. Earlier this week, the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press found that global warming ranked at the bottom of public concerns, with only 28 percent of adults calling it a top priority and just 36 percent calling it an “important but lower priority.”

Article appearing courtesy Yale Environment 360.

Photo by victius

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A greater percentage of consumers are viewing leading brands as being socially responsible, according to preliminary numbers from a consumer survey.

The SHIFT Report, an annual survey of 5,000 people from the North American general population by sustainability marketing consultancy Conscientious Innovation studies attitudes towards sustainability and leading brands.

According to preliminary data from the first 1,000 respondents, the percentage of consumers that view GE, Apple, Microsoft, and Wal-Mart as being “socially responsible” more than doubled over a year ago.

The data, which is being collected this month and is exclusively released to Matter Network, shows that more than 40 percent of consumers viewed these companies positively.

Many of these brands had major marketing campaigns to tout their sustainable bona fides, which must have paid off.

Interestingly, while positive attitude towards companies are on the rise, the percentage of consumers who say they are have made sustainable choices related to home energy is down by 13 percent. Also down, albeit slightly, is the importance of global warming in individuals’ decision making (from 58 to 54 percent, so far).

Nearly two-thirds of consumers say health and environmental toxins in products is a “significant concern” to them.

Article appearing courtesy of Matter Network.

[image credit: Conscientious Innovations]

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One of the more common green stories over the last month has focused on the question of whether the poor economic conditions are going to dampen the clean tech industry.  Other stories revolve around the new US administration’s policies.

There seem to be four main story lines:

• Consumer confidence is down and therefore, consumers are prioritizing pocketbook issues over buying organic foods / small cars, etc.
• Retreating oil prices mean that the economic case for wind power / hybrids / residential solar panels is much harder to make
• The global financial crisis has made funding for green projects harder to come by
• The Obama administration is going to invest in clean tech and green jobs

Most of these articles suggest that the short term prospects for green products and technologies are going to take a hit, while the long term prospects are generally good.  But considering that “clean tech” is actually a very diverse set of products, services, and technologies across the development-commercialization time scale, the 30,000 foot view that is being put forward in the popular press may be missing the real story.

Which story is currently the biggest for your business?  Answer the poll and use the comments section to join the dialogue on what is important in your sector.

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