After evaluating some of the survey results in class the other day, I was not very surprised by what I saw. The majority of people we surveyed were college age students and were white, which is not necessarily representative of the country as a whole. We also had a lot of respondents say they are Democratic, which for this particular area was also not necessarily representative.
My group looked at the voting behavior questions and noticed a few interesting pieces. Many voters that say they are Democratic, seem to pretty consistently vote that way also. There is little change between party affiliation and candidate voted for. Also, many first time voters voted for Democratic candidates, which makes sense because we are on a college campus and most college students tend to be more Democratic or liberal in nature.
I found the reasons why people distrusted the government to be pretty amusing, as noted by the PowerPoint we saw in class. It clearly came down to a few men that had tainted the governor's position for the future. The only slightly disheartening response was "Why not?" for those that trusted the governor...
On that same note, many people that I asked to survey were not aware of the election. This wasn't all the surprising given that the midterm elections seem to have a low turnout and it is highly unlikely that college students are going to be coming out in masses to vote. It is pretty clear that most students to not see a connection between their governor or senator and the changes they want to see in IL.
On a lighter note, we got a lot of good responses from people that participated in the survey and it was really cool to see how all the answers matched up.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
And the Winner is..
We finally conducted our election day exit poll and it was pretty cool. I got about 10 responses, which I was happy with seeing as most people I talked to did not even realize there was an election today. Kind of sad. However, it was one project I have done in college that I can safely say has relevance. We got to work on this project from beginning to end by creating the questions, administering the poll, and then evaluating the results.
Mostly college kids filled out my surveys with a few adults tossed in there. I think I expected to see more adults around campus since the Bone is such a convenient polling place, but I guess 11 am on a Tuesday isn't the most convenient time. I did not get the sense that many students were planning to vote, which did not surprise me. I think a lot of kids don't understand the correlation between learning about your governor or rep and how that affects your daily life. This is probably due in large part to apathy and disinterest because the knowledge isn't there. It is something that should be instilled in kids from a young age so they can go grow up challenging things and being more engaged in the world around them, rather then what the latest status is on Facebook.
Overall it was a cool experience and I really liked doing the project. Now I know a little bit about what pollsters have to go through on a routine basis. Not sure it's the job for me..
Mostly college kids filled out my surveys with a few adults tossed in there. I think I expected to see more adults around campus since the Bone is such a convenient polling place, but I guess 11 am on a Tuesday isn't the most convenient time. I did not get the sense that many students were planning to vote, which did not surprise me. I think a lot of kids don't understand the correlation between learning about your governor or rep and how that affects your daily life. This is probably due in large part to apathy and disinterest because the knowledge isn't there. It is something that should be instilled in kids from a young age so they can go grow up challenging things and being more engaged in the world around them, rather then what the latest status is on Facebook.
Overall it was a cool experience and I really liked doing the project. Now I know a little bit about what pollsters have to go through on a routine basis. Not sure it's the job for me..
Monday, November 1, 2010
Taking Heat
A recent poll from Pew Research Center finds that Americans are pretty steady on their views of global warming. 59% of adults say there is solid evidence that the earth's temperature is getting warmer, while 34% say this is due to human activity. There are a few changes from poll results dating to 2006; the public is divided on the question of whether scientists themselves agree that the earth is warming because of human activity: 44% say scientists agree, and 44% say they do not. In July 2006, when a much higher percentage of the public said there was solid evidence of global warming, 59% said that scientists agree that global warming is caused by humans, while just 29% said scientists do not agree.
Another thing to consider is the media attention tied to global warming. Much of the general American public seems to be going back and forth between a crisis called global warming and another called climate change. Which is the correct term? Are they truly the same thing? It seems like one may be more socially acceptable than the other, that being climate change. It leaves room for some discussion beyond the earth is getting a little warmer every year.
The issue is one that seems to be on people's minds but the arrival of new evidence makes it slightly difficult to have a set opinion. So many sources throw information at us about polar bears having no where to live and the amount of rainfall in India all tied to how we fuel our cars or live our daily lives. It becomes overwhelming.
Given all the information available, I would say I believe that the climate of earth is changing. What do you expect from countries like North America and Europe that are constantly pushing limits and expanding their societies into new arenas? We tend to be a pretty wasteful society and the fact that there may not be tangible, immediate results does not put one damper on driving our gas guzzling SUV's.
Another thing to consider is the media attention tied to global warming. Much of the general American public seems to be going back and forth between a crisis called global warming and another called climate change. Which is the correct term? Are they truly the same thing? It seems like one may be more socially acceptable than the other, that being climate change. It leaves room for some discussion beyond the earth is getting a little warmer every year.
The issue is one that seems to be on people's minds but the arrival of new evidence makes it slightly difficult to have a set opinion. So many sources throw information at us about polar bears having no where to live and the amount of rainfall in India all tied to how we fuel our cars or live our daily lives. It becomes overwhelming.
Given all the information available, I would say I believe that the climate of earth is changing. What do you expect from countries like North America and Europe that are constantly pushing limits and expanding their societies into new arenas? We tend to be a pretty wasteful society and the fact that there may not be tangible, immediate results does not put one damper on driving our gas guzzling SUV's.
Monday, October 4, 2010
No Such Thing As A Free Lunch
A Gallup Poll from June 16th notes that the after math of the oil spill is weighing in on people's minds. Not only do 46% of respondents believe that it will be a decade before beaches and wildlife begin to recover and flourish, but now there is talk of other arenas of society being affected.
One part of the poll asked about what do people believe will also be affected as a result of the oil spill and four out of five people believe the overall economy will be hurt, gas prices will go up, and food prices will also increase.
Finding the link between these situations and the oil spill may be subtle in some areas. However in looking at the big picture, trying to restore the ecosystems that were destroyed by the oil spill not only is expensive, but also eliminated a multitude of fish species, which depletes a food source, which may leave people out of jobs. So when we break it down into simple terms it is not surprising to see that other areas of our society can, and very well may be affected because of the oil spill.
One part of the poll asked about what do people believe will also be affected as a result of the oil spill and four out of five people believe the overall economy will be hurt, gas prices will go up, and food prices will also increase.
Finding the link between these situations and the oil spill may be subtle in some areas. However in looking at the big picture, trying to restore the ecosystems that were destroyed by the oil spill not only is expensive, but also eliminated a multitude of fish species, which depletes a food source, which may leave people out of jobs. So when we break it down into simple terms it is not surprising to see that other areas of our society can, and very well may be affected because of the oil spill.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Environment vs. Energy
A Gallup poll from May 27th states "The new results are based on a May 24-25 USA Today/Gallup poll. In March, by 50% to 43%, Americans said it was more important to develop U.S. energy supplies than to protect the environment, continuing a trend in the direction of energy production seen since 2007. Now, the majority favor environmental protection, by 55% to 39% -- the second-largest percentage (behind the 58% in 2007) favoring the environment in the 10-year history of the question."
The last part is what really got me, that this question has been asked over a period of ten years yet this is only the second time that the environment has taken precedent over energy. Obviously a lot of this has to do with current events, so I am curious as to what events were taking place when the environment came out on top before.
I think people feel like the environment and energy need to be two separate things however they essentially work in conjunction with one another. Gallup also explained that Democrats have had a consistent view of putting the environment over energy which has only grown stronger and on the flip side Republicans favor energy. Not a big surprise with these two differing views, but still interesting to note their patterns.
It is clear that the state of the economy has shifted a lot of views on the topics of energy and the environment because people are going to prioritize, starting with themselves. The oil spill has quickly reversed much of the thinking Americans have had over the past couple years and now we are seeing a strong shift towards pro-environmentalism.
I think people feel like the environment and energy need to be two separate things however they essentially work in conjunction with one another. Gallup also explained that Democrats have had a consistent view of putting the environment over energy which has only grown stronger and on the flip side Republicans favor energy. Not a big surprise with these two differing views, but still interesting to note their patterns.
It is clear that the state of the economy has shifted a lot of views on the topics of energy and the environment because people are going to prioritize, starting with themselves. The oil spill has quickly reversed much of the thinking Americans have had over the past couple years and now we are seeing a strong shift towards pro-environmentalism.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Go Green Tips
As a follow up to my last blog I read an article on the Good Housekeeping website that has a big list of simple and cheap, if not free, ideas to go green.
I mentioned in my last post that reusable bags is a really easy way to participate and has the article notes, some stores such as CVS and Ultra Foods will pay you for bringing your own bags. Another easy tip mentioned is plugging your tv or microwave or other household appliances into a power strip and before you go to bed, shut the entire thing off to prevent using energy.
One thing I've noticed living in an apartment this year is how much energy and water are wasted without realizing it. Turning off the water while brushing your teeth or doing the dishes is easy but often forgotten. And although the air in my apartment is less than stellar, most of my roommates leave their fans on and lights on for the entire day, which is energy that can be conserved.
I think if people realized how easy some things are to go green and help the environment, they would be more prone to doing it.
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/green-living/ways-to-go-green
I mentioned in my last post that reusable bags is a really easy way to participate and has the article notes, some stores such as CVS and Ultra Foods will pay you for bringing your own bags. Another easy tip mentioned is plugging your tv or microwave or other household appliances into a power strip and before you go to bed, shut the entire thing off to prevent using energy.
One thing I've noticed living in an apartment this year is how much energy and water are wasted without realizing it. Turning off the water while brushing your teeth or doing the dishes is easy but often forgotten. And although the air in my apartment is less than stellar, most of my roommates leave their fans on and lights on for the entire day, which is energy that can be conserved.
I think if people realized how easy some things are to go green and help the environment, they would be more prone to doing it.
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/green-living/ways-to-go-green
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Bag It
Many of us can take little steps in our daily lives to improve the environment. A recent Gallup poll explained that 9 in 10 Americans recycle newspaper, glass, aluminum, etc. That being said, it is also stated that Americans are not any more environmentally friendly than we were at the turn of the century.
This may be due in large part that the environment is such a large scale issue, it is not uncommon to feel overwhelmed or incapable of fixing the whole thing. The media and general retailers have been taking steps to change this, such as selling reusable shopping bags. Stores from Jewel to TJ Maxx sell reusable shopping bags for about $2. My parents have definitely hopped on this band wagon and we own about 10 bags. When I go to Jewel on Sunday with my dad I often notice that we are one of only a few people using the bags so in my observations I have not noticed the trend catching on a whole lot.
How much of a difference are these few bags really making? How many of you utilize them? How can they be incorporated into everyone's life?
This may be due in large part that the environment is such a large scale issue, it is not uncommon to feel overwhelmed or incapable of fixing the whole thing. The media and general retailers have been taking steps to change this, such as selling reusable shopping bags. Stores from Jewel to TJ Maxx sell reusable shopping bags for about $2. My parents have definitely hopped on this band wagon and we own about 10 bags. When I go to Jewel on Sunday with my dad I often notice that we are one of only a few people using the bags so in my observations I have not noticed the trend catching on a whole lot.
How much of a difference are these few bags really making? How many of you utilize them? How can they be incorporated into everyone's life?
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
The Environment Wins
The Gallup poll focusing on the environment http://www.gallup.com/poll/1615/Environment.aspx shows a general trend that the public seems to think the environment should hold more importance than the economy. With the recent oil spill, I think more people have been interested in how the environment is affected long term as well as the here and now. In most polls the protection of the environment is first and foremost compared to protecting different resources.
Not surprisingly many people think the government isn't taking the right kind of action to help with the oil spill and fully believe that BP is responsible for cleaning it up. It is clear that the public does not think the environment is doing well, but getting worse which is reflected in the numbers tied to performance of those in power.
As soon as issues hit really close to home, we become interested and concerned, as is the case with the oil spill. This may be the downfall of the environment; we start to care as soon as we are faced with something devastating.
Not surprisingly many people think the government isn't taking the right kind of action to help with the oil spill and fully believe that BP is responsible for cleaning it up. It is clear that the public does not think the environment is doing well, but getting worse which is reflected in the numbers tied to performance of those in power.
As soon as issues hit really close to home, we become interested and concerned, as is the case with the oil spill. This may be the downfall of the environment; we start to care as soon as we are faced with something devastating.
Intro
Hi I'm Colleen and I'm a Junior at ISU. I'm double majoring in Politics and Public Relations. I've chosen to focus on the environment for this semester. It's a topic that I am interested in but do not yet know a ton about as it is a fairly expansive topic. That being said there are a lot of issues under the main category of 'the environment' that I'm excited to delve into.
The environment is a topic that pertains to all of us, yet it can be intimidating at times so I hope to gain an understanding of how the American public views the environment and the issues surrounding it and break down those ideas into more simple terms.
The environment is a topic that pertains to all of us, yet it can be intimidating at times so I hope to gain an understanding of how the American public views the environment and the issues surrounding it and break down those ideas into more simple terms.
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