What's on California's Mind? A Statewide Survey Quiz

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Gary A. Patton
Executive Director
Planning and Conservation League

The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) is "a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving public policy in California through independent, objective, nonpartisan research" that provides valuable insight into the policy preferences of the California citizenry through its statewide surveys. The PCL is pleased to announce that the PPIC just released a report on its Statewide Survey on the Environment which summarizes the responses of 2,500 California adults to questions regarding:

-- global warming and energy
-- air quality and health
-- environmental politics and policy preferences

Think you know how your fellow Californians think? Take this quiz based on the PPIC Statewide Survey on the Environment results and see how you do.

1. Percent of Californians who think global warming poses a very serious threat to the state's economy and quality of life (vs. "somewhat serious," "not too serious," or "not at all serious")
a. 32%
b. 45%
c. 50%
d. 54%

If you guessed (d) you're right! Over half of all Californians think global warming poses a very serious threat...all while a few senate republicans are trying to pretend it isn't happening.

2. Percent of Californians who favor the state law that requires California to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions back to 1990 levels by the year 2020 (vs."oppose" or "don't know")

a. 28%
b. 42%
c. 60%
d. 78%

(d) -- nearly 80% of the state's residents support the state's effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels. How can we reach that goal if we give developers a free pass for increased emissions from new projects?