Lower gas prices beat lower greenhouse gases in online survey
May 27, 2009 By Renee SchoofAsked to choose between lower gasoline prices and reduced greenhouse gas emissions from gasoline, 66 percent of Americans in a new online survey chose lower gas prices and the rest said that reducing the emissions that cause climate change was more important.
The survey also found that 56 percent of Americans think that the federal government should stop subsidizing ethanol production because they're afraid that it boosts food prices, while the rest said that the subsidies should continue. When they were asked to choose between government subsidies for food crops or for ethanol, 82 percent chose food and the rest chose ethanol.
However, when the respondents were asked whether energy independence or lower food prices were more important, 55 percent said energy independence and the remainder said lower food prices.
About 90 percent of U.S. ethanol is made from corn, according to the Department of Energy. Government and private industries have been researching ways to use nonfood plants instead by breaking down cellulose, the structural part of plants' leaves, stalks and husks. The potential advantages of cellulosic ethanol are lower greenhouse gas emissions and less competition for agricultural land.
The nonpartisan polling group Ipsos conducted the online survey May 19-25 from a national sample of 1,266 people ages 18 and older. The sample was weighted to reflect the composition of the national population. It wasn't a scientific random sample, however, but the equivalent of a large focus group.
The survey also found that 57 percent of those surveyed said that demand rather than government subsidies should drive ethanol production, while 6 percent disagreed and 37 percent said they neither agreed nor disagreed. About half of those sampled, 51 percent, said the industry should focus more on producing ethanol from nonfood crops, while 4 percent disagreed and 45 percent neither agreed nor disagreed.
Asked whether ethanol is the most promising way to create U.S. energy independence, 25 percent agreed, 30 percent disagreed, and 45 percent said they neither agreed nor disagreed.
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METHODOLOGY
Because this was an online poll, it has no statistical margin of error. It was based on samples drawn from opt-in online panels. The sample was weighted to reflect the makeup of the population, but it wasn't a random sample that mirrors the population within a statistical probability ratio.
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ON THE WEB
Ipsos/McClatchy ethanol poll: http://tinyurl.com/qduwbk
Ipsos/McClatchy news release: http://tinyurl.com/o8gxkw
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(c) 2009, McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
Visit the McClatchy Washington Bureau on the World Wide Web at http://www.mcclatchydc.com
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GTK - Jun 01, 2009
- Rank: 4 / 5 (1)
The truly sad part about this is that Big Oil will remain in firm control,thanks to the EPA-OBD II Vehicle Emissions Inspection Law, which mandates that all Gasoline powered vehicles, from 1996 to the present,must operate at 14.7 parts of Air to 1 part of Fuel.It is entirely possible to safely convert Gasoline into a clear, dry Vapor that is 100 parts of Air to 1 part of Fuel.Even the largest SUV could easily get 50 MPG,& emit a fraction of the Emissions of a 14.7/1 Fuel System, with more Power, and longer Engine Life.For even more insight, do a search on Tom Ogle, then go to http://energy21.f...rep.html and check out the last part of it.But, all OBD II Vehicles have Oxygen[O2]Sensors that detect the level of polluting Exhaust Emissions.When a Vehicle is connected to an OBD II Emissions Analyzer for Inspection, whatever those O2 Sensors read is detected.Too much Pollution,& it will fail,as well it should.But, with vaporized 100/1 Fuel, O2 Sensors will detect nothing, and an O2 Sensor Failure Code will be generated.Thus, it is entirely possible to fail an Emissions Inspection for not emitting enough Pollution!This insane Law, that only benefits Big Oil, was passed during the Clinton Administration, with Al Gore's enthusiastic support! Go figure! And Obama can't change it either, as long as Big Oil is in firm control!And not one Politician or Environmentalist will question the ongoing suppression of Vapor Fuel Technology ! I have asked many, and have yet to get a Reply.Maybe you can try ?- report abuse
Apr 10, 2009 |
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