Environmental Issues less important to Americans?

The Huffington Post reports that Americans place less importance on environmental issues than they did four decades ago, when Earth Day was established. Only 39 percent of poll respondents thought environmental issues were very important, down from 63 percent in a similar poll in 1971.

Unbelievable.

Encouraged by conservative ideology, and industry fed contributions to politicians, there is public denial about the critical relationship between the environment and public health, agriculture, and our national security.

Perhaps society will get some clues as suffering from respiratory illness such as asthma increases and healthcare costs rise. Are we still waiting for an aha moment when we see the relationship between the toll of increasing violent weather, and man-made climate change?

We can feel good about recycling, but that alone won’t address climate change, or the fundamental changes needed to protect spaceship earth.

Earth Day Network