Public Opinion
Looking at the polls on climate change, and solar panels among the general public and among conservative Republicans we find broad support for more solar on roof-tops among all segments of the population.
Link to here for sharing: https://meetingthetwain.blogspot.com/2018/01/climate-action-1-polls.html
This is part 1 of a series. Part two is here:
http://meetingthetwain.blogspot.com/2018/01/climate-action-2-rooftop-solar.html
But before answering that, how many believe climate change is real?
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| https://news.utexas.edu/2016/10/27/millennials-views-on-climate-change-could-impact-election |
Great! So by now almost everyone accepts climate change as real.
So is the public for doing something about it?
Absolutely! Even 75% of Trump supporters are for it (see below).
Here is a recent (2016) survey of US opinion on solar and wind power:
89% favor solar to 9% oppose
83% favor wind to 14% oppose
89% favor solar to 9% oppose
83% favor wind to 14% oppose
More homeowners - 44% in the US overall, 66% in the Western US - have either installed or are considering installing solar panels.
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| From http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/10/05/americans-strongly-favor-expanding-solar-power-to-help-address-costs-and-environmental-concerns/ |
Americans are looking at solar to save money (90%) and to help the environment (87%).
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| http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/10/05/americans-strongly-favor-expanding-solar-power-to-help-address-costs-and-environmental-concerns/ |
From another survey:
"Of the group of respondents in our survey who said they either had installed or intended to install solar equipment, 73% said they plan to do so within the next three years. Businesses – with their larger power needs – are moving even faster, with 70% planning to move ahead in two years or less."
Another survey:
"75 percent of Trump voters support "action to accelerate the deployment and use of clean energy" -- including solar, wind, energy efficiency, and community renewable projects."
And 86% of all voters support accelerating the development of clean energy including the majority of the GOP base. Almost 60% strongly support it:
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| http://www.conservativeenergynetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Clean-Energy-Survey4.pdf |
Gallup polling shows all time high support for clean energy - majorities of both Democrats and Republicans.
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| http://news.gallup.com/poll/190268/prioritize-alternative-energy-oil-gas.aspx |
So why are politicians waiting? We have San Francisco mandating solar panels on new construction:
https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/mandatory-solar-new-roofs-california-san-francisco-wiener-developers with other cities like Fremont CA, Culver City, Santa Monica, and some others.
Not to mention France - mandating new commercial buildings have either solar panels or green roofs:
What about our town?
See also:
