Americans haven’t been this unconcerned about the environment in 20 years, a recent Gallup poll found. Citing the economy, unemployment, and the increasing scarcity of empty doorways to sleep in, 53 percent of poll respondents “say economic growth takes precedence, even if it hurts the environment,” according to USA Today.
Atop the list of environmental concerns Americans worry a “great deal” about is drinking-water pollution; presumably because clean drinking water matters in a way that falsified IPCC reports do not. Despite the number of respondents who explicitly said that global warming just isn’t a priority right now “because I just realized the kids left their reduced-price lunch cards on the counter again and I’m already late to this new job–Linda! where the hell are my orthopedic shoes?–and hold on, there’s someone on the other line–Hi mom! What? Again? I’m sorry, those people from the bank promised they would stop calling you about…Well Linda and I also wish we never asked you to co-sign for us, but here we are!”–Bob Deans of the National Resources Defense Council points to a different culprit, arguing that oil companies “have spent millions of dollars on ads to oppose a bill in the Senate that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” and that these ads have “have an impact on public opinion.”