A Poll of Readers
[Update – this superb NY Times piece explains what might be going on politically: The Opiate of Exceptionalism ]
Last week, I was astonished to read that a Monmouth University poll showed that from 72 – 79% of NJ residents rate the “quality of the environment in the area that you live” as “excellent” or “good” (see: “Environmental Quality – Polls Versus Facts“).
What explains this high rating? What explains what appears to be a contradiction between perception and reality? Are people’s opinions always right? (i.e. perception is reality? That people no longer care about or live in the “reality based community”? That facts don’t matter and are always biased partial depictions of reality?)
This is a serious question – I’ve thought about it and have my own possible explanations (which are embedded in the leading questions below):
1) Is it because people “live” locally and always have a positive view of the “area that they live”?
2) Is it due to simple lack of facts and knowledge on how to evaluate environmental quality?
3) Is it the result of a narrow definition of what constitutes the “environment”?
4) is it because the air and water look “clean”? (former DEP Commissioner Scott Weiner used to call this the “see your toes” water quality test – if people could see their toes at the beach they were satisfied that the water was clean).
5) is it because the air and water are clean? A lot cleaner than they used to be?
6) Is it because the media have either failed to educate or mislead the public?
7) Is it because government officials have either failed to educate or mislead the public?
8) Is it because environmental groups have either failed to educate or mislead the public? (e.g. they’ve bought into the “good news/positive solutions” myth that they must avoid “doom and gloom” because it dis-empowers activists and drives away funders?)
9) Is it because educators, academics, intellectuals, and university researchers have either failed to educate or mislead the public?
10) Is it because corporations have either failed to educate or mislead the public through self serving propaganda?
11) Is it because this is NJ and people just naturally prefer the smell of diesel in the morning, a wastewater laced cup of coffee, a suburban bright green lawn, a smoggy skyline at noon, see wildlife as roadkill on the drive home, and enjoy an ozone red sunset?
Or is it a combination of these factors? If so, do a sensitivity analysis and tell me which 2 or 3 are dominant.
I’d like readers to submit comments with their own explanations.
How do you define “the environment”?
How do you rate the quality of what you view as your environment?
How do you explain the 72-79% favorable poll results?
What are examples of effective methods to influence public perception and shape public opinion and motivate public action on the environment?
Are environmental groups doing a good job with that?
Comment away!