How do Americans think about energy? Is the debate over fossil fuels highly partisan and ideological? Does public opinion about fossil fuels and alternative energies divide along the fault between red states and blue states? And how much do concerns about climate change weigh on their opinions? In Cheap and Clean, Stephen Ansolabehere and David Konisky show that Americans are more pragmatic than ideological in their opinions about energy alternatives, more unified than divided about their main concerns, and more local than global in their approach to energy. Drawing on extensive surveys they designed and conducted over the course of a decade (in conjunction with MIT's Energy Initiative), Ansolabehere and Konisky report that beliefs about the costs and environmental harms associated with particular fuels drive public opinions about energy. People approach energy choices as consumers, and what is most important to them is simply that energy be cheap and clean. Most of us want energy at low economic cost and with little social cost (that is, minimal health risk from pollution). The authors also find that although environmental concerns weigh heavily in people's energy preferences, these concerns are local and not global. Worries about global warming are less pressing to most than worries about their own city's smog and toxic waste. With this in mind, Ansolabehere and Konisky argue for policies that target both local pollutants and carbon emissions (the main source of global warming). The local and immediate nature of people's energy concerns can be the starting point for a new approach to energy and climate change policy.

网友对Cheap and Clean: How Americans Think about Energy in the Age of Global Warming (MIT Press)的评论

Filled to the brim with contradictions and an industry-apologist attitude. Also has a very strong pro-nuclear bent from the get go. The only worthwhile part of this book was their actual research. Even their interpretations of their research is highly puzzling, though.

For example, while discussing the "Not in My Backyard" attitudes of Americans, p. 58: "Any development action will be met with an equal and opposite anti-development reaction", while on p. 59, their public opinion research shows 49% "Strongly oppose" nuclear development projects in their "backyard", while only 12.4% "strongly oppose" wind developments.

This is but one example of a blatant contradiction that fill this book. Provides useful insight into public opinion, but their interpretations and arguments are completely off the mark. They also emphasize the influential role of public opinion, while at the same time, their results show a consistent public support for wind and solar energy over 10 years, and yet major energy companies are not responding to this clear message.

Excellent! Thank you!

A very necessary look at how Americans view all energy options. Demonstrates that while a knowledge gap may exist regarding the specifics of harms associated with some energy choices overall non-specialists can accurately gauge the levels of harm associated with less-clean fuels. They may be overly optimistic regarding the climate advantages of natural gas but otherwise provide a good overview of the CO2 and non-CO2 externalities associated with various energy types and how to balance these against increased energy costs.

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