Rorschach poll

There are any number of ways one could interpret the results of this poll.

If you're cynical, you might conclude that people are liars. If 66% of people (even 57% of conservatives! even 67% of NASCAR fans!) think driving a fuel-efficient car is patriotic, then why aren't they driving fuel-efficient cars? One might conclude that patriotism is a handy way to attack people you dislike, but somewhat hollow as an actual motivation for sacrifice, or even changing one's own behavior.

If you're a more optimistic type, you might conclude that this level of support for fuel efficiency -- 89% think it's important for government to act to reach 40mpg -- is a vast, largely untapped political force. One might think that an aggressive program of education and advocacy would open people's eyes up to the fact that their government is in fact doing very little, and get them fired up.

Or one could just conclude that polls don't mean much at all.

(The full results of the poll are in a press release here as a PDF.)

Also, check out 40mpg.org, launched today in the wake of the poll. Very cool site.

Bycatcher in the Eye

Iconic Galapagos Islands threatened by longline fishing, other stuff The Galapagos Islands are iconic for biologists and conservationists, home to...

Umbra on winning environmental arguments

Dear Umbra, I’ve recently been debating my cousin about the merits of environmentalism, and he consistently attacks my positions by...

An open letter to Andy Rooney of 60 Minutes

Dear Andy Rooney:

I enjoyed your commentary last night on 60 Minutes, titled "Put Brakes On Gas Prices". I applaud your campaign "to get every driver to use 20 percent less gas this year than last year."

You went on to point out how we Americans make unnecessary trips and exotic vacation plans that result in consumption of enormous amounts of gasoline. You even suggested that "newspapers print 'Don't Travel' sections with articles about how interesting it is not to go anywhere."

But you failed to mention hybrid cars! Here in Gristmill, readers are touting the benefits of driving a hybrid vehicle -- the primary one being less gas consumption.

Andy, Andy, why the omission?

Photos of Iceland reveal a land of extremes

Photos: © Layne Kennedy In case you haven’t heard, we’re giving away a trip to Iceland. As a result, this...

Doom and Gloom With a Sense of, Uh … Doom

Comprehensive assessment of world’s ecosystems released; be very afraid The largest and most comprehensive assessment of the world’s ecosystems ever...

Framing

Amanda's article on Lakoff reminded me of two things I've been meaning to say about framing.

In being popularized, the concept of framing has basically been reduced to the search for magical words. It's become synonymous with spin. Molly Ivins sums it up this way:

Jonathan Adler says no.

A while back I mentioned an Atlantic Monthly essay claiming that the real danger of an (even more) conservative federal judiciary is to environmental regulation.

Jonathan H. Adler has a paper in the Iowa Law Review arguing that the danger is minimal, and mainly at the margins, and perhaps not such a bad thing. The abstract is reprinted on Commons, if you want a capsule summary. I can't say I read all 95 pages (!), but I believe the relevant stuff comes toward the end. Here's a long exerpt:

An interview with activists at the Prison Moratorium Project

Khaleaph Luis (left) and Prince S. Say “criminal justice” and very few people think of the environment. But in reality,...