Attitude adjustment

We care about the environment. We don’t care about the environment. We believe in global warming. Global warming is a sham. It’s hard to keep up with the surveys telling us who we are when it comes to our eco-attitude—particularly as it ebbs and flows along with the daily reminder of our oil addiction gushing out of the Gulf of Mexico. But one of the latest surveys says, yes, my dears, we give a damn, and we’re willing to buy eco-friendly stuff for it.

GE Energy Services commissioned a national survey that asked 1,000 Americans to what extent they’re willing to change their energy consumption habits. The results: Seventy-nine percent said they’re willing to change their energy habits in the short term to effect long-term change. Seventy-two percent believe that how they generate and use energy could harm the country’s economic growth. Seventy percent would prefer that their power company make the current infrastructure more energy efficient rather than build new power-generating facilities. And smart appliances, like smart meters and thermostats that could help manage individual energy use, appeal to 88 percent of those surveyed.