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Ohioans Views of Energy and Household Responses to Increased Energy Costs

Ohioans Views of Energy and Household Responses to Increased Energy Costs. Presentation to SL Peak Oil/Global Warming Group Jeff S. Sharp & Lazarus Adua Ohio State University December 14, 2006. Survey Project is a core Project of the SRI. Goals of Survey Project.

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Ohioans Views of Energy and Household Responses to Increased Energy Costs

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  1. Ohioans Views of Energy and Household Responses to Increased Energy Costs Presentation to SL Peak Oil/Global Warming Group Jeff S. Sharp & Lazarus Adua Ohio State University December 14, 2006

  2. Survey Project is a core Project of the SRI

  3. Goals of Survey Project • Study topical and emergent FAE issues • Local Foods, Farmland Preservation & Land-use, Food Safety, Animal Welfare • Data for planning and evaluation • Track changes across time • Cohort effects: older versus younger generations • Intervening events, such as Mad cow; energy, etc. • Changes in knowledge, awareness or behavior due to an educational campaign, societal trend, etc.

  4. Outline of Presentation • Describe Ohioans views of Energy circa Spring 2006 • Quick examination of Ohioans views of “ecological crisis” • Identify household adjustments to energy costs • Consider adjustments by key demographics (place of residence, class, and debt) • Thoughts on next steps

  5. 2006 Survey • Mail survey returned from 1,729 Ohioans • Response rate of 55% • Respondents compare favorably to known characteristics of Ohio population • A higher proportion of respondents were homeowners than is true of Ohio’s general population

  6. Ohioans Views of Topical Agro-Environmental Issues: 2004, 2006

  7. Issue Concern (% Very Concerned)

  8. Ohioans’ Energy Related Views & Attitudes

  9. Views of “Peak Oil” • There are sufficient oil and natural gas supplies around the world to meet U.S. needs for the foreseeable future • 38% agree or strongly agree • 22% neutral • 40% disagree or strongly disagree

  10. Views of “Peak Oil”(cont.) • The era of abundant and cheap fossil fuels is coming to an end • 45% agree or strongly agree • 37% neutral • 18% disagree or strongly disagree

  11. Gas Prices • In a couple years, the cost of gasoline will probably be about the same or even less that it is today • 17% agree or strongly agree • 13% neutral • 70% Disagree or strongly disagree

  12. Solutions • Even if oil and natural gas supplies do decline, new technologies and alternative energy sources will ensure Americans maintain their current standard of living • 41% agree or strongly agree • 34% neutral • 25% disagree or strongly disagree

  13. Solutions (cont.) • More should be done to develop alternative fuels, such as ethanol or biodiesel, derived from Ohio grown crops • 87% agree or strongly agree • 11% neutral • 2% disagree or strongly disagree

  14. Solutions (cont.) • The environment should be protected, even if this means some energy supplies are not available for use • 60% agree or strongly agree • 26% neutral • 14% disagree or strongly disagree

  15. Solutions (cont.) • More should be done to encourage energy conservation • 84% agree or strongly agree • 13% neutral • 3% disagree or strongly disagree • Americans must change their consumptive lifestyles to avoid the onset of an energy “crisis” in the U.S. • 70% agree or strongly agree • 18% neutral • 12% disagree or strongly disagree

  16. Willingness to see Reduction in Material Quality of Life • What, if any, decrease in your quality of life would you accept to assure a fair distribution of energy resources throughout the world • 24% no reduction • 70% modest reduction • 6% substantial reduction

  17. Comments/Discussion related to this section of presentation

  18. “Ecological Crisis”

  19. “Ecological Crisis” • The so-called “ecological crisis” facing humankind has been greatly exaggerated • 22% agree or strongly agree • 39% neutral • 39% disagree or strongly disagree

  20. “Ecological crisis” (cont.) • The balance of nature is strong enough to cope with the impacts of modern industrial nations • 18% agree or strongly agree • 36% neutral • 46% disagree or strongly disagree • Human ingenuity will insure that we do NOT make the earth unlivable • 36% agree or strongly agree • 38% neutral • 26% disagree or strongly disagree

  21. Energy Costs, Cutbacks & Hardship As reported Spring 2006

  22. Overall, have increased gasoline or home heating costs during the last six months been…

  23. Household cutbacks & increased energy costs

  24. Cutbacks by Place of Residence

  25. Cutbacks by Household Income

  26. Cutbacks by Debt Stress

  27. Observations • There is a significant social justice/hardship dimension to new energy era • Short, medium, and long-term impacts • Income and debt are key factors • Spatial dimension may also be important to monitor • Cutbacks are one adaptation; conservation behaviors & improvements are another • Anticipated class dimension to this, may further exacerbate social problems

  28. Next Steps for Research Group • Forthcoming report/academic manuscripts • Development of Lazarus's dissertation, possibly around the theme of Energy • 2008—Questions about conservation behaviors & reduced cutbacks/hardship analysis • Maintain core focus on local food systems and agriculture at the rural-urban interface

  29. Questions? Contact Information: Jeff S. Sharp sharp.123@osu.edu 614-292-9410 http//.ohiosurvey.osu.edu

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