Survey: Most Americans Want To Phase Out Fossil Fuels, Phase In Alternative Sources

Americans may be addicted to coal, gasoline and other fossil fuels today, but a survey from the Opinion Research Corporation finds that that the public is ready to go “cold turkey” and put an end to its dependence on fossil fuels.

More than four of five Americans – including 78 percent of Republicans, 92 percent of Democrats, and 73 percent of Independents – agree with “a national energy strategy based on a ‘?phasing in’ of new technologies and a ‘?phasing out’ of carbon based energy sources.

Only 15 percent of Americans think the federal or state governments should be investing in “converting U.S. coal into diesel fuel or synthetic natural gas.” By contrast, 66 percent of Americans – including 53 percent of Republicans, 75 percent of Democrats, and 68 percent of Independents – say “if the government is going to invest in an energy solution, it should be in renewable technologies such as wind and solar.”

Over four out of five Americans – including 77 percent of Republicans, 89 percent of Democrats, and 70 percent of Independents – would “favor state and federal tax incentives for new construction that uses available home energy-efficiency technologies and construction methods in the United States in order to decrease heating and cooling energy consumption and related bills for consumers.”

Three out of four Americans – including 68 percent of Republicans, 83 percent of Democrats, and 69 percent of Independents – think “President Bush and Congress should increase the federal fuel-efficiency standard now to 40 MPG.”
More results here.