Survey: Women fail on energy knowledge
When it comes to decisions on electricity and energy policy, women do not have the facts they need.
Flickr: jonasclemens - Only 7% of women are aware that electricity-generating power plants are the biggest cause of global warming in the country
- 31% say they just don’t know the largest cause of global warming
- When prompted, 67% of women correctly identify coal power plants as a big cause or somewhat of a cause of global warming, but 54% think the same about nuclear energy; in reality, nuclear energy does not cause global warming at all.
On electricity:
- 43% don’t know the largest source of electricity in the U.S.
- Only 12% think it’s coal (actually provides 49% of U.S electricity)
- 4% think it’s nuclear (actually provides 20% of U.S electricity)
- 32% don’t know the main source of electricity for their own home
Now, while this survey targeted only women, I'm willing to bet that men across the country would fare just as poorly. The fact of the matter is that, much like other aspects of our modern world, people don't generally seek out information on energy. We've grown up in a modern society taking for granted the ability to just plug in and enjoy. To understand how that all works, where it comes from, and how it impacts our world lies outside the realm of day-to-day priorities.
What can be done? More campaigns, commercials, and articles like this one to help get the information out there. Casually dropping energy policy conversation at a dinner party may not sound sexy, but it's yet another effective means of getting people involved in what's a very important piece of this country's future.
What do you think of these results? Do think they accurately reflect what you know -- or your friends know -- about energy?
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Comments
This article is very interesting, considering one of the world's leading producers of reactionary misinformation and outright lies about nuclear power, Helen Caldicot, is a woman. Coincidence?
This is sad. How did we become so energy ignorant? 54% think nuclear causes global warming, and 43% don't know most of our electricity is from coal? No wonder they oppose nuclear! They probably think it causes global warming! Even Al Gore is largely ignorant about nuclear. In 2007, he said that he opposes nuclear plants because they "only come in one size: extra large." This is woefully uninformed. Big plants are the most efficient way to produce mass electricity. And for those living.... More
This is a misleading article. Unintentionally, I'm sure, but as far as one gender "failing" on energy knowledge, you can't really make claims like this until the exact same survey is given to those of the opposite sex. Otherwise, it comes off as somewhat of a sexist jab with no warrant (whether or not it was intended that way)... especially when you take into account the fact that many people will just skim through this article, or merely look at the headline. You're right when you say, "I'm.... More
As Ken pointed out, there is vast room for improvement on the already pretty good technology in use to produce useful power from fission. When uranium is completely fissioned, it produces 2 million times as much energy per unit mass as oil combustion and three million times as much as coal combustion.
Since we current use about 0.7% of the input uranium, the ratio is more like one to 14,000 - 21,000 which is still an amazing improvement over burning oil or coal.
When we evolve that.... More
We have been reliant on nuclear reactor technology originally designed for use to power submarines and ships in the 1950's. This technology is only able to burn 2% of the Uranium 235 placed into it before damage to the fuel pellets supersede safety parameters, about three years of irradiation. This is wasteful. Still, 20% of our power is derived from this technology. Greater efficiency results in less waste per watt. Strides have been made in greater efficiency in light water reactors,.... More
