Generation X is lukewarm on climate change

(LiveScience) Gen Xers are surprising blase about climate change. A survey in 2009 found members of Generation X were largely disengaged from climate change. Two years later, these American adults became slightly more so, a follow-up survey has revealed.

Americans in this age group generally are not well-informed about climate change, nor are they highly concerned about or paying much attention to it, both surveys indicated.

"We found a small but statistically significant decline between 2009 and 2011 in the level of attention and concern Generation X adults expressed about climate change," said researcher Jon Miller of the University of Michigan in a statement. "In 2009, about 22 percent said they followed the issue of climate change very or moderately closely. In 2011, only 16 percent said they did so."

The survey data comes from the university's Longitudinal Study of American Youth, which includes responses from approximately 4,000 Gen Xers, born between 1961 and 1981. Interestingly, this generation is the "most scientifically literate and best-educated generation in American history," Miller writes in his report, "Climate Change: Generation X Attitudes, Interest, and Understanding."

Miller said he was surprised by the lack of committed activists on either side of what is usually seen as a heated public debate over human-caused global warming. In 2011, the largest chunk of respondents, 67 percent, said they aren't certain global warming is happening. Meanwhile, 23 percent were concerned or alarmed, and at the other end, 10 percent are not worried or don't believe it is happening.

Better educated adults were more concerned about climate change, although 12 percent of those who ranked as highly scientifically literate were dismissive or doubtful.

Political affiliation also mattered. Zero conservative Republicans were alarmed, while only 10 percent were concerned. Meanwhile, only 5 percent of liberal Democrats were dismissive or doubtful.

Climate change is forecast to have dramatic long-term consequences that could affect future generations, including rising sea levels and more extreme weather, yet Gen Xers with children at home were not more concerned about global warming than those who did not.  

"Climate change is an extremely complex issue, and many Generation X adults do not see it as an immediate problem that they need to address," Miller said.

However, in the report, he writes, "We found that small segments of Generation X are actively engaged with this issue -- more in support of the issue than opposed."

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[wolfmagic2012]

Oh that's okay - I'm pretty lukewarm on Gen-X! WHen the ocean's lapping at their coastal door, maybe then they'll grasp the fact they should move.

[j_mcdonald-2009]

louville, the rate is accelerating, so you can't use a linear extrapolation as you did.

And beyond certain points, the rise will be far more sudden as some ice sheets collapse catastrophically.

[hypnotoad72]

Climate change may or may not be real and droughts from the 1930s and other issues help dilute the possibility of manmade climate change.

BUT:

Pollution is real, and it is claimed pollution leads to climate change.

So, let's put VALUE into cleaning up after our own waste and how we generate power. With serious efforts. Not token efforts.

We might not be able to control climate change, but we definitely can control pollution. The trouble is, it's cheaper to not place value on proper behaviors and be litterbugs.

[alpinequeen]

Global temperatures stopped rising in 1997. The sun is now headed for a solar minimum. Better bundle up.

[j_mcdonald-2009]

Wrong on both counts.

[hephastia]

The solar minimum is correct. Nobody know what effect it will have, though.

[phydeux2]

Gen Xers like myself probably remember our science class teaching us about natural climate cycles. We were taught that over long periods of time the average temperatures fluctuate.

Unfortunately the hardcore activist types out there, in their infinite audacity, blame it on humanity. Yet they have no concrete evidence to prove it. The last few hundred years people have been recording temperatures is just a drop in the bucket compared to the planet's timescale.

So its only the human capacity for arrogance that allows us to blame our fellow man for the weather being a bit different this year than a few years ago.

[canislupus16]

I've observed that most Gen Xers, like yourself, are way more concerned with themselves than actually doing something to solve any local or world problem, so your patronizing, arrogant post pretty much fits basic GenX traits. No surprise.

[j_mcdonald-2009]

That is breathtakingly clueless and arrogant at the same time.

[phydeux2]

Gen Xers like myself probably remember our science class teaching us about natural climate cycles. We were taught that over long periods of time the average temperatures fluctuate.

Unfortunately the hardcore activist types out there, in their infinite audacity, blame it on humanity. Yet they have no concrete evidence to prove it. The last few hundred years people have been recording temperatures is just a drop in the bucket compared to the planet's timescale.

So its only the human capacity for arrogance that allows us to blame our fellow man for the weather being a bit different this year than a few years ago.

[louiville2_2]

No surprise there most of them have already experienced (suckered into) their "if we don't do this NOW we are all going to die" hyped up scam.

In other words they have heard the "cry wolf" scare once to often that's why with every GW report they (Activists) have to exaggerate it more, well past the scientific evidence supporting it just to get anyone's attention.

[atlasdaddy]

It's the Sun. It has always been the Sun. If Mars has had a marked and similar temperature increase just like the Earth, then, the only conclusion that any simple minded person should come to is, the Sun. It's the only common denominator that no one seems to be willing to talk about.

[bramletabercrombie]

It's not the sun. It's the carbon dioxide and methane.

[democracy8]

The atmosphere of Mars is less than 1% of Earth's, so it does not protect the planet from the Sun's radiation NOR does it do much to retain heat at the surface.