AP-NORC Poll: Disasters influence thinking on climate change
Source: Associated Press
AP-NORC Poll: Disasters influence thinking on climate change
By ELLEN KNICKMEYER, HANNAH FINGERHUT and EMILY SWANSON
January 22, 2019
WASHINGTON (AP) When it comes to their views on climate change, Americans are looking at natural disasters and their local weather, according to a new poll.
Lately, that means record deadly wildfires in California, rainfall by the foot in Houston when Hurricane Harvey hit and the dome of smog over Salt Lake City that engineer Caleb Gregg steps into when he walks out his door in winter.
I look at it every day, Gregg said from Salt Lake City, where winter days with some of the countrys worst air starting a few years ago dinged the citys reputation as a pristine sports city and spurred state leaders to ramp up clean-air initiatives. You look out and see pollution just sitting over the valley.
Ive never really doubted climate change - in the last five-ish years its become even more evident, just by seeing the weather, the 25-year-old said. We know were polluting, and we know pollution is having an effect on the environment.
The poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago finds 74 percent of Americans say extreme weather in the past five years hurricanes, droughts, floods and heat waves has influenced their opinions about climate change. That includes half of Americans who say these recent events have influenced their thinking a great deal or a lot.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/2fe8539da26a4e54aee4fcdc702bfca3