Thursday, April 28, 2011

Climate Change Study

A new survey by Yale University’s Project on Climate Change Communication shows Americans have a weak understanding of climate change.

The survey reveals only 25 percent of teens and 30 percent of adults received a passing grade (A, B, or C) on a 75 question climate-related knowledge test.

Other findings from the survey:
  • 54 percent of teens say global warming is happening,
  • 63 percent of adults say that global warming is happening,
  • 35 percent of teens understand most scientists think global warming is happening,
  • 39 percent of adults understand most scientists think global warming is happening.
One of the explanations offered for the poor performance:

“…although some schools have started teaching about climate change, few teens have ever taken a formal course on the topic, so it is perhaps unsurprising that they lack detailed knowledge about the issue.”

So what's the solution? Read my blog. Haha. Just kidding. But seriously, how can we educate each other and our teens on the climate?

1 comments:

amy grace said...

i would say make it relevant. i know that crazy things are going on in the world but for us in little Erie, PA, i don't know if there is a direct NEED for us for the knowledge - we aren't in danger of any tsunamis or big earthquakes so we need to know WHY we need to know or what difference knowing about climate change would make. us not complain less? doubt it ;) haha