July 31, 1999
1) BEN "Special" Legacy's Comprehensive Enviro. Poll
2) Alabama National Forest Comments/Meetings
3) More Jefferson/Shelby County Vehicle Inspections
4) Land Trust of Huntsville's Cave-a-Thon
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1. BEN "Special" Legacy's Comprehensive Enviro
Poll - On Thursday July 29th,
Legacy - Partners in Environmental Education and the Alabama Education
Association (AEA) released one of the most comprehensive polls
ever done on
"Alabama environmental attitudes". The poll was conducted
by Capital Survey
Research Center, a well respected polling firm out of Montgomery.
The
following data contains most of the results from this scientific
poll that
was taken June 2-3/ 7-10, 1999 of 433 Alabama adults. The poll
has a plus or
minus 4.5 % margin of error (we rounded off the numbers).
Overall, is the quality of the environment in Alabama
Getting better - 21%
Getting worse - 27%
Staying about the same - 50%
Don't Know/No Reply/other - 3%
On a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the best, rate the quality of
your
environmentin the following areas?
Overall quality of the environment - 3.35
Drinking Water - 3.37
Air - 3.48
Lakes and rivers - 2.79
Forests and Wildlife areas - 3.51
Beaches - 2.83
Which of the following statements best describes how you feel
about the
environment?
Statement 1. I am concerned about the environment and I try
to do things
that protect the environment - 64%
Statement 2. I think the environment is fine and there are
more important
things than the environment such as industry and jobs. - 14%
Statement 3. I do not not enough about the environment to know
how real the
issues are such as acid rain, the ozone layer, and the greenhouse
effect - 20%
Do you believe that environmental protection and economic can
go together or
do you believe that a choice must be made between them?
Can go together - 79%
Choice must be made - 19%
Which of the following statements best describes your position
on the
environment?
Statement 1. Protection of the environment should be given
top priority even
if it makes it more difficult for some businesses and industries
and cost
some jobs. - 68%
Statement 2. Development of businesses and industries and jobs
should be
given priority even if it makes it more difficult to keep a clean
and safe
environment. - 23%
*Here is how people who catagorize themselves as liberals,
moderates and
conservatives feel about the statements listed above (Don't know/No
reply
makes up the difference) .
Liberal - Statement 1 - 71% Statement 2 - 24%
Somewhat Liberal - Statement 1 - 77% Statement 2 -18%
Moderate - Statement 1 - 69% Statement 2 - 25%
Somewhat Conservative - Statement 1 - 74% Statement 2- 9%
Conservative - Statement 1 - 59% Statement 2 - 32%
At this time do you believe government regulates:
Too much - 15%
Too little - 52%
About right - 24%
Would you be willing to support limits on growth as a way of
protecting the
environment?
Yes - 68%, No - 16% , Don't Know/No Reply - 16%
Would you accept urban and regional planning as a way to protect
the
environment?
Yes - 85% , No -9% , Don't Know - 6%
Would you accept placing limits on the boundries of urban growth?
Yes - 67%, No -21%, Don't know - 13%
Would you accept creating green zones where development would be limited?
Yes - 81% , No -12%, Don't know- 8%
How much knowledge do you believe you have about environmental
issues and
problems?
A lot - 16% , Some - 59%, Little or none - 24%
Do you believe there is a need for more information and education
about the
environment?
Yes, need more information - 92%
No, do not need more information - 6%
DK/NR/O - 2%
What do you believe is the major environmental problem in Alabama?
Air pollution - 20% , Water pollution - 19% Garbage and garbage
disposal -
23%, Litter -23% , Protecting natural, forest and wildlife areas
- 7%
Alabama Department of Environmental Management or ADEM - What
is your opinion
of ADEM?
Do not recognize - 22% , Very Favorable - 4% , Favorable -46%,
Unfavorable -
7% , Very Unfavorable - 2% , Don't know - 20%
What is your opinion of the Alabama Department of Conservation
and Natural
Resources?
Do not recognize - 24% , Very favorable -10% , Favorable -
49%, Unfavorable
- 4% , Dont Know - 13%
Makeup of the poll - Liberal - 15% , Somwhat Liberal 10%, Moderate
-27%,
Somewhat Conservative - 15%, Conservative -26%, Don't know - 7%
Educational level - Less than High School - 10%, High School
Graduate - 47%,
College Graduate -24%, Graduate or Professional Degree - 17%,
Don't know 2%
Age groups - 18 to 24 - 11.5%, 25 to 34 - 21%, 35 to 50 - 35%,
51 to 64 -
20%, 65 or Older - 12%
This poll sends a strong and clear message that Alabamians
want more
environmental education and stronger environmental laws. It is
also clear
that Alabama's political leadership is out of step with the public
on the
environment, especially considering the Alabama Congressional
delegation's
low scores on the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Scorecard
and the lack
of support for the environment on the state level. For more information
about this poll, please contact Legacy at 1-334-270-5921.
If you want to send a message to Alabama's political establishment
about this
poll, contact the Alabama League of Environmental Action Voters
(AlaLeavs),
Joe Turnham at 1-800-ALA-LEAV or e-mail joeturnham@aol.com
2. Alabama Forest Service Meetings Scheduled - The U.S.
Forest Service in
Alabama has scheduled several public information-sharing meetings
across
Alabama in connection with the revision of the land and resource
management
plan for the four national forests in Alabama. Preliminary alternatives
for
the management of the forests will be available for discussion
with members
of the revision interdisciplinary planning team.
All meetings will be held from 6 p.m. through 8 p.m.
August 2 - Tuskegee, 125 National Forest Road
August 3 - Brent, 1 Forest Drive
August 4 - Andalusia, State HWY 29
August 5 - Double Springs, Traders and Farmers Banks
August 9 - Talladega, 1001 North Street (State hwy. 21 N)
August 10 - Heflin, Forest Service Work Center, Intersection of
U.S. 78 West
& State 281 North
For directions and more information contact please contact
Planning Team
Leader Rick Morgan at 334-241-8166. You can also e-mail him to
place yourself
on the Forest Service mailing list. His e-mail is Morgan_Rick/r8al@fs.fed.us
3. More Jefferson/Shelby County Vehicle Inspections
- The NoZoner Vehicle
Emissions Testing program for Jefferson/Shelby counties will resume
this
week. Last month, the program tested 733 cars. Seventeen (17%)
of the cars
failed the emissions test while 5% failed the gas cap test. Please
try to
get your car tested before the end of the ozone season. Here are
the
scheduled sites.
Tuesday, August 3 - Greensprings Shopping Center in Homewood,
next to
Blockbuster Video
Wednesday, August 4 - Visionland Theme Park (Visionland will provide
a $2 off
park admission voucher to all those who get their vehicle tested.
Thursday, August 5 - Trussville Shopping Center
Tuesday, August 31 - WalMart (awaiting confirmation) in Pelham
Thursday, September 2 - NorthGate Village Shopping Center in Gardendale
4. Land Trust of Huntsville & North Alabama Cave-a-thon
- Mark your
calendars for the Land Trust's Cave-a-Thon at Three Caves "
(which is on Land
Trust property) to be held during the month of August. Reservations
are
required, so please call 256-534-LAND today to reserve your spot
and receive
directions. Here are the scheduled events.
Tuesday, August 3 - 9:00 A.M.
Saturday, August 7 - 9:00 and 10:30 A.M.
Saturday, August 21 - 9:00 and 10:30 A.M.
There will also be a Kid's Bike Race, The Land Trust's "Raccoon
Rally" Sunday
August 15th, 1:30 at Big Spring Park in Huntsville. Proceeds will
benefit
the Land Trust. For more info call 256-534-5263 or visit their
website at
http://www.landtrust-hsv.com
Please share BEN with friends and fellow conservationists.
If you have any questions about BEN, contact Pat Byington at
205-226-7739 or pkbyington@aol.com
