People Changed Their Minds After BP Oil Spill

 
bp oil spill

In a new study by the University of New Hampshire, researchers have found that the people that were most affected economically by the BP oil spill changed their views on a wide range of environmental issues.

The research is based on surveys taken of 2,023 gulf residents, 1,017 Louisiana residents, and 1,006 Floridians.

About one fourth of all the people surveyed said that as a result of the BP oil spill, they changed their views on a wide range of issues, such as climate change, sea level rise, a moratorium on deep sea drilling, protecting wildlife, and exploring new energy options. That rose to thirty five percent among those that were the most economically affected.

There were some differences between the geographically separate people surveyed. With the Louisiana residents less likely to support a moratorium on deep sea drilling, conservation, and an increased emphasis on alternative energy development than the Floridians.

Louisiana has a large oil-based economy that generates around $65 billion a year, while Florida makes about the same yearly off of beaches and tourism, so the difference makes sense.

Source: University of New Hampshire
Image Credits: NASA Goddard/MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/Earth Observatory/Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the University of Wisconsin’s Space Science and Engineering Center MODIS Direct Broadcast system, ESA

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