But the threat of ecological catastrophe is so frightening and universal that we believe we must mobilize our community's considerable intellectual and organizational resources as soon as possible. But they are dangerous nonsense. The trends in proportions of people expressing worry about pollution problems show large increases over recent years. However, a 1991 Roper poll found that people thought that the environment would be cleaner five years hence than at the poll date, unlike a similar comparison in 1980. Also see figure 4-3.
People expect worsening.
This finding is similar to the polls on energy mentioned earlier. Education in large quantities would seem to increase one's propensity to rely on such abstractions. Even grammar-school texts and children's books fill young minds with unsupported assertions that humankind is a destroyer rather than a creator of the environment. I would have thought that over their long lives, people aged 65 and over would have learned how much safer life is as measured by rates of mortality and injury. And with respect to energy, we see the power of momentary events reported in the media to affect public opinion.