We've Got Poll, and We're Super Bad

Polls find Americans worried about energy and climate problems

To paraphrase Benjamin Disraeli, there are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and poll results. So take the following factoids from three recent polls with a big block o' salt. An Environmental Defense survey found that 71 percent of Americans think global warming is real and 53 percent think it's largely caused by human activity. A Civil Society Institute poll found that two-thirds of conservatives think fuel-efficient vehicles are "patriotic" (!) and the Bush administration isn't doing enough to address global warming. Finally, a Gallup poll found that 77 percent of Americans think global oil demand will eventually outpace supply, and 12 percent think the current energy situation in the U.S. is a crisis. Oh, and 70 percent of those polled by Environmental Defense said they're willing to drive less to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. Feel free to start any time, people.